The Physician's Assistant; An Approach to Improved Patient Care.

Presented are an overview of Physicians' Assistant programs in the United States and a study of their applicability to the Washington metropolitan area. The national overview includes information gathered from fourteen respondents to questionnaires sent to 30 physician assistant programs currently in operational or planning stages. Aspects discussed from these data and from a review of the literature include the existing need, recruiting, placement, employment, mobility, legal aspects, admission requirements, evaluation, and task analysis. In exploring the applicability of the physician's assistant program to the metropolitan Washington areas the existing need is discussed in terms of a health care crisis. Statistical tables provide data on various mortality rates of the District of Columbia and other cities, physician distribution, and projection of paramedical personnel needs in Washington area hospitals. Other topics discussed regarding the program in the Washington area include the tasks of the physician's assistant, recruits, education and training, patient acceptance, and legal aspects. Recommendations and conclusions are drawn. The appendix presents a summary of the data received from the responding physicians' assistant program. A 44-item list of references in included. (SC)