States turn to physician assistants

To combat physician shortages and a growing number of patients due to the Affordable Care Act, several states are removing barriers to allow physician assistants (PA) to provide care with more autonomy.

New Jersey recently became the 29th state to remove the countermeasure requirement for PAs, which required a collaborating physician to countersign all medical orders. That legislation joins more than 200 others passed into law in recent years in 49 states and the District of Columbia aimed to remove barriers that keep PAs from providing care.

Source: Forbes