Governors’ group urges states to support PAs

Physician assistants (PA) make up 10% of the primary care workforce and 9% of clinicians in community health centers, and the number of PAs continues to grow, according to a report from the National Governors Association (NGA), a bipartisan organization that aims to provide a collective voice on national policy. PAs play a special role in federally designated rural health clinics, which are required to have a PA, a nurse practitioner, or certified nurse midwife available during at least 50% of their operating hours.

“PAs will continue to play an important role in healthcare delivery in the future, particularly in light of new, integrated models of care,” stated the report, titled “The Role of Physician Assistants in Healthcare Delivery,” which was released last month. The NGA advises states to review scope-of-practice laws and regulations—including the definition of “provider”—to ensure that PAs are used efficiently. States should also consider providing educational and clinical training opportunities for PAs.