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With the rise of popularity in the Affordable Care Act and more people using it to get health insurance coverage, more people are visiting the doctors. This new demand, however, has posed a big challenge for doctors all over the country.
Since Obamacare has placed thousands of people on its health insurance plans, these people are now looking for doctor care and there simply aren’t enough physicians to handle this demand, says Winthrop University Hospital's Administrative Director of Surgical Services, Maureen Regan. This is where physician assistants are needed and growing now more than ever.
While ways to address the shortage in primary care is being sought by the healthcare industry, a nationwide survey shows that the patients are actually more content with receiving care from physician assistants (PAs), and feel they will be a big part of the solution to combating the decrease of primary doctors in the country.
A national physician recruiter, The Medicus Firm, released a report revealing that family physicians hold the number one spot, while the top three spots are filled by primary care physicians with internists and hospital doctors holding at spot three. PAs held number six in 2013 right behind orthopedic surgeons, general surgeons and physicians and in 2012, they didn’t even hit the top 10. You can see the increase in demand here this year. However, in 2014, PAs rose to the fifth spot of most frequently filled medical provider positions.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, between the years 2012 and 2022, the number of PAs is expected to rise 38 percent. There are already around 6500 to 7000 new physician assistants being hired every year. Even the schools are taking notice with offering at present over 180 accredited master's programs countrywide and 78 more in process.
Importance of Physician Assistant Scheduling Software
Generally speaking, many tasks a physician can do, PAs can do. They can write out prescriptions, help out with major surgeries, and even perform minor surgeries by themselves. They even handle the physician scheduling.
Physician scheduling is a challenge all in its own for most schedule administrators never mind adding on nurses, PAs, etc. and the responsibilities of emergency medicine scheduling become increasingly difficult. This is why with the expected growth of PAs, physician assistant scheduling software is more important now more than ever.
PAs work long hours, have crazy schedules, and because of this, they can feel discontent or unhappy. The overall goal of any medical practice should be to keep rotations in the schedule so that PAs can fit their personal lives and sleep into their schedules. With the huge demand being placed on new PAs, shift scheduling software will help keep it organized.
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