The slide was shared by former Missouri State Rep. Keith J. Frederick, who helped change Missouri law to allow doctors to work with other doctors when they don’t get along with a resident doctor. He worked hard to create an “assistant physician” who was allowed to . Frederick spoke at the online policy forum “Expanding access to primary care by removing barriers to physician assistants,” hosted by the Cato Institute.
Supporters argue that physician assistants could strengthen their own medical training and provide medical care in areas of the country where it is particularly needed.
The Cato Institute hosted a live online policy forum on May 22, “Expanding Access to Primary Care by Removing Barriers to Physician Assistants.”
According to the Cato Institute, graduating medical students who do not qualify for residency programs may become physician assistants or trainees working in primary care, while also developing their own knowledge and skills. Missouri became the first state to change its medical licensing laws to create physician assistants, and six other states — Arkansas, Kansas, Utah, Arizona, Louisiana and Idaho — have similar laws.
Jeffrey A. Singer, M.D., Ph.D., senior fellow at the Cato Institute, moderated the discussion. He is a co-author of his April briefing his paper, Expanding Access to Primary Care: Removing Barriers to Assistant Physicians.
Dr. Kevin D. Dayaratna, Senior Research Fellow at the Heritage Foundation Data Analytics Center, said much has been said about the growing demand for healthcare as the general population ages, and the potential shortage of physicians as physicians age. said there is. .
But every year, thousands of medical graduates who fail to participate in the National Resident Matching Program known as Match “are unable to do anything because doctors are a licensed profession,” Dayaratna said.
“Thus, from a policy perspective, these medical graduates have acquired a tremendous amount of knowledge, and leveraging this surplus to ameliorate the doctor shortage could be very helpful,” said Dayaratna. said.
Opponents argue that the relicensing will create an underclass of doctors and threaten patient care. But the assistant doctor will practice under the supervision of a cooperating doctor, he said.
When legislators began considering a license for medical assistants, the Missouri Medical Association also endorsed the concept, according to former Missouri legislator Keith J. Frederick, who worked on the bill. It was passed in 2014 on the bipartisan recognition that the state is in “great need” for more doctors and clinicians, he said.
Proponents can expect opposition from “medical elites” who claim that assistant doctors provide substandard care. But by the end of four years of medical school, students can receive up to 6,000 hours of clinical training, which is far more than a nurse’s 500 hours, Frederick said.
Currently, Medicare and private insurance reimbursement are challenges. Proponents hope things will change as more states introduce physician assistant licensing laws and Congress changes reimbursement rules, Frederick said.
Physician training requirements mean that training programs have “absolute authority” over budding physicians, said the Zion Usher Family, who provides direct primary care under Missouri’s Physician Assistant Act. Lyman Wastrell, M.D., who serves as CEO of Physicians, said.
Many training programs produce great doctors, he says. But not all, Wastrel said, citing examples of comments from doctors who faced opposition because of overwork, sexual harassment and religious beliefs.
“We hope that through the continued growth of this program, more fit and highly trained people will be able to continue their medical care and care for those who have devoted all their time to their training. We expect it to be,” said Wastrel.