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Kingston Family Health Team
Welcomes a Physician Assistant |
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The Physician Assistant Initiative is part of the province’s health human resources strategy, called HealthForceOntario. This two year demonstration project is being coordinated by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and the Ontario Medical Association.
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| What is a physician assistant? |
Physician assistants (PAs) are skilled health professionals who support physicians
in a range of health care settings. They work alongside physicians, nurses, nurse
practitioners and other members of the interprofessional health care team. Physician
assistants work under the direction of a licensed physician to provide patient/client
care. In Canada, PAs have been employed by the Canadian Forces for many years to
deliver health care services to members of the military and their families. PAs
have been working in Manitoba since 2002, where they are known as clinical assistants.
PAs have also practised in the United States since the 1960s. The PA role is currently
being integrated into the health care systems of many other countries around the
world.
The specific duties of the PA vary depending on the individual competencies of the
PA, the supervising physician’s area of practice, and the types of duties that the
supervising physician chooses to assign. Examples include:
- Conduct patient interviews and take medical histories
- Perform physical examinations
- Perform certain controlled acts delegated to them by a physician
- Provide counselling on preventive health care
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| Why is this new role being introduced? |
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Evidence shows that PAs help to improve access to health services and overall quality
of care. The introduction of PAs is designed to help reduce wait times and help
ensure that the right care is provided by the right provider at the right time.
Expanded interprofessional health care teams will be better able to serve patients.
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