May 19, 2010

A bill to increase the authority of physician assistants in California recently got approval on the Senate floor and is making its way to the State Assembly.

With as many as 44 million additional U.S. residents becoming eligible for healthcare coverage as a result of healthcare reform, there are strong concerns about the capacity of the medical profession to serve them. Senator Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills) has introduced Senate Bill 1069 to increase the authority of physician assistants (PAs) to perform routine medical duties leaving physicians with more time to attend to patients.

The bill would give PAs the authority to order medical equipment such as crutches and wheel chairs.  They would also be able to sign off on disabilities for unemployment insurance, order home health care, sign off on employee medical exams and sports physicals for minors. California has 7,000 licensed PAs, but more will be needed.

“There is a shortage of care providers in the entire country,” said Don Robinson, Chief Administrative Officer for Hill Physicians Medical Group Inc. of San Ramon. Hill represents 3,000 physicians.

PAs free doctors up to spend more time with patients.

“Which is what all doctors ask for,” Robinson said. Hill has not yet reviewed SB 1069, but Robinson said, “We would expect to see the entire country move in this direction.”

Currently in California PAs can take health histories, do physical examinations for making assessments and diagnoses and for reviewing treatments and revising them. They can certify that a person is disabled for the purpose of getting a handicapped placard; they can perform medical exams and sign off on certificates for people applying for licenses to drive commercial vehicles or school buses.

Those entities that have formally endorsed the bill include the California Academy of Physician Assistants, the California Medical Association, the California Assisted Living Association, the California Radiology society, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, District IX, the United Nurses Associations of California, the California Academy of Family Physicians and the Medical Board of California, among others.

“California is right in line with other states in terms of improving inclusion of PAs in relevant laws,” said Ann Davis, Director of State Government Advocacy and Outreach for the American Academy of Physician Assistants. “Many states are involved in similar updates. In general, California has a very favorable regulatory climate for physician-PA teams,” she said.