Released on: October 28, 2007, 8:16 pm

Press Release Author: Wiley-Blackwell

Industry: Healthcare

Press Release Summary: Nurse practitioners and physician assistants could be some of
the answers to the global healthcare industry staff shortage.

Press Release Body: Melbourne, Australia -29 October, 2007- Nurse practitioners and
physician assistants could be some of the answers to the global healthcare industry
staff shortage. If mobilized in a thoughtful way, they could well be an essential
resource in alleviating the severe shortage of medical staff in Australia and around
the world.



As researchers continue to work towards developing feasible solutions to ease global
medical workforce shortage, a study published in Australian Journal of Rural Health
by Wiley-Blackwell proposes innovative methods to increase healthcare workers need
to be considered and suggests that the physician assistant model could be worth a
shot.



In her study "Extending Rural and Remote Medicine with a New Type of Health Worker:
Physician Assistants", Dr. Teresa M. O'Connor gives an outline of who physician
assistants are and what they do. She also pre-empts possible reservations about the
quality of care physician assistants are able to provide by emphasizing the rigorous
training programme they are all expected to undergo.



Physician assistants undergo two to three years of intensive training and, once
experienced, are able to practice at a similar level to junior doctors. Trained
within the medical model of care, they are licensed to practice medicine under
medical supervision.



"Hospitals find that one physician assistant can substitute about 50-75% of a
doctor's work while needing less time to train - hence making them a more
cost-effective resource compared to the medical staff.", says Dr. O'Connor.



The physician assistants' model was first used in the USA during the late 1960s to
great success. Other countries which currently use the model include Canada, The
Netherlands, Taiwan, and Britain.



"Medical workforce shortage is part of a worldwide phenomenon and the solution of
increasing medical graduates and importing doctors will only leave other countries
short." says Dr. O'Connor.



She adds, "Nurse practitioners are already playing a significant role in Australia.
Physician assistants are another group which could play a significant role and they
can be drawn from other careers without depleting the already short supply of
nurses. With so much research demonstrating that physician assistants are not only
able to provide quality care but have been accepted by their patients as well; their
introduction to Australia may be one strategy to address the ongoing medical
workforce shortage.\"


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This paper is published in the December 2007 issue of Australian Journal of Rural
Health. The Table of Contents may be viewed online at the following URL:
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/toc/ajr/15/6. Media wishing to receive a PDF or
schedule media interviews with the authors should contact Alina Boey, PR &
Communications Manager Asia at alina.boey@asia.blackwellpublishing.com or phone
613-83591046.



About Australian Journal of Rural Health
The Australian Journal of Rural Health is a multidisciplinary refereed journal, and
since its inception in 1993 has contributed to the accumulation of knowledge of
rural health in Australia. The Journal aims to establish a national and
international reputation for the quality of its scholarly discourse and value to
rural health professionals. In 1999 the Australian Journal of Rural Health became
the official journal of the National Rural Health Alliance, which is the peak body
for rural and remote health organizations in Australia. As well as its readers in
Australia, the Journal is taken by subscribers in Canada, Japan, USA and the United
Kingdom. Readership includes general practitioners, nurses, allied health
professionals, pharmacists, health administrators, universities, rural health units
and libraries.





About Wiley-Blackwell

Wiley-Blackwell was formed in February 2007 as a result of the acquisition of
Blackwell Publishing Ltd. by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., and its merger with Wiley's
Scientific, Technical, and Medical business. Together, the companies have created a
global publishing business with deep strength in every major academic and
professional field. Wiley-Blackwell publishes approximately 1,400 scholarly
peer-reviewed journals and an extensive collection of books with global appeal. For
more information on Wiley-Blackwell, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com or
http://interscience.wiley.com.



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Web Site: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/press/pressitem.asp?ref=1485

Contact Details: Alina Boey

PR & Communications Manager, Asia

Wiley-Blackwell

+613-8359 1046

alina.boey@asia.blackwellpublishing.com