Communication issues
“Primum non plus nocere quam succurrere.” Above all else, do not harm more than succor. Introduction The consequences of poor communication in the delivery of health care can be dire,…
Considerations for a logical approach to medication prescribing
Objectives • Integrate the World Health Organization steps to rational prescribing into the Physician Assistant practice. • Synthesize an evidence-based approach to prescribing medication. • Analyze research data related to…
Chronic care perspectives
Introduction Chronic conditions are the leading causes of illness, disability, and death in the United States today. In 2014, 60% of U. S. adults had at least one chronic disease,…
The postgenomic era: Genetic & genomic applications for clinical practice
Overview The completion of the Human Genome Project (HGP) has changed how human health and disease is viewed. Physician assistants (PAs) practicing in this postgenomic age of medicine have an…
The political process
Introduction Please do not skip this chapter just because you never intend to become involved in politics. You have entered medicine during a period of rapid and profound changes in…
Health care financing and reimbursement
Learning outcomes • Discuss the concept of value-based reimbursement in health care and explain how it differs from fee-for-service billing. • Define Medicaid and Medicare and explain the differences between…
Assuring quality for physician assistants: Accreditation, certification, licensing, and privileging
Introduction Health insurance plans are becoming broader in regard to the scope of treatments they cover. These changes include mental health and behavioral health parity; fewer restrictions on preexisting conditions;…
Physician assistant education: Past, present, and future challenges
Overview of physician assistant education Physician assistant (PA) education has matured and grown significantly since its humble beginning in 1967 when three ex-Navy corpsman students graduated from Duke University. By…
International development of the physician assistant profession
Introduction The U.S. physician assistant (PA) profession is rooted firmly in the compressed medical curriculum originally developed by the military to quickly train doctors, medics, and corpsmen. The profession was…
History of the profession and current trends
Learning objectives Adopt a historic and international view toward the development of PAs and PA-like medical careers. Describe some of the conditions in the U.S. health system that led to…
