PAs Can Bring Cost-Effective Care to Complex Patients

Adults aged 65+ frequently have multiple chronic conditions that may add to their medical complexity. Treatment for complex patients is unsustainably costly, but the needs of these patients can be met with effective care strategies. PAs are poised to take a lead role in bringing cost-effective care coordination to complex patients.

Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Clinical Setting

Medical providers such as PAs are often the first point of contact for caretakers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and as such, need to be comfortable speaking about how to identify red flags of ASD, and where to refer caretakers if there is any concern.

Urgent Care, a Fast Growing Specialty for PAs and Physicians

Urgent care medicine is the “provision of immediate medical service offering outpatient care for the treatment of acute and chronic illness and injury”. PAs in urgent care should have a vast array of clinical skills as well as the ability to quickly identify patients who require more intensive emergency medicine services. While urgent care providers may also be the first to diagnosis chronic diseases such as diabetes or asthma, they generally refer patients to a primary care provider for the management of these conditions.

PAs in Hospitals: 10 Fast Facts

Based on data derived from the 2017 AAPA Salary Report, the AAPA Research Department identified ten facts about PAs in hospitals.

Eliminating Key Practice Barriers Associated with Higher PA Salaries

The American Academy of PAs has released the 2017 AAPA Salary Report, the only PA salary resource that provides detailed information about base salary, base hourly wage, bonus, and benefits. One of the significant findings in this year’s report is that PA base salaries are higher in states that have eliminated one of two key barriers to PA practice.

Compensation Disparity Between Female and Male PAs Persists

Research conducted by AAPA, and published this month in Women’s Health Issues, found that female PAs are compensated 89 cents for every dollar men are compensated. Although this 11 percent disparity is less than the national average of 82 cents per dollar most recently reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it remains unacceptable.

Career Flexibility within the PA Profession

PAs are one of the most versatile healthcare providers. Hooker, Cawley and Leinweber (2010) examined four decades of data from AAPA and found that 49 percent of PAs reported two specialties at different points in their career.

Just how far does your PA buck go?

PA salaries that appear to be lower in some states -- such as South Dakota, Mississippi, and Ohio -- actually have greater purchasing power when the cost-of-living is taken into account. How much bang are you really getting for your buck?