The value of PAs, recognized by physicians

FigureIn my September 2024 commentary in JAAPA, “Building bridges with physicians,” I wrote of the opportunities I believe our profession has to foster physician allies as we work to modernize physician associate (PA) practice laws—despite the strong resistance from some physician-led groups.1 PAs know from our own personal experience that the physicians whom we work alongside every day value PAs, recognize that healthcare requires a team approach, and share our commitment to finding solutions to the challenges healthcare providers are experiencing—challenges that have downstream effects on patient care. For this reason, the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) made a decision last fall: It was time to put the attacks and falsehoods to rest by giving the physician community at large an opportunity to speak for themselves, rather than allowing groups like the American Medical Association (AMA) to dominate the conversation and represent their views as the views of the entire physician profession. AAPA commissioned a national survey of physicians through Morning Consult, a data intelligence company specializing in survey research. Released this February, the survey results brought to light a game-changing perspective: A majority of physicians support removing barriers to PA practice. In addition, physicians ranked greater autonomy for providers as one of the top three solutions to addressing healthcare system challenges. Behind these key takeaways are several other findings I find particularly compelling: Almost 9 in 10 physicians (86%) agree that PAs expand access to care. 90% of physicians say PAs are important to enhancing care delivery. More than half (55%) of physicians say removing barriers to PA practice would reduce patient wait times. 68% of physicians who support modernizing PA laws believe doing so would help ease provider shortages. Let's be clear about one thing—we didn't commission this research to receive a “grade” from our physician colleagues. No, these findings and others from the survey will serve to strengthen our conversations with policymakers and stakeholders by providing evidence-based insights in support of policies that benefit the PA profession and patients. With these points in hand, we have made major strides in our ongoing work to counter the AMA's narrative by using its own constituency to emphasize the need for updating healthcare laws to improve patient care and outcomes. What's more, the survey gave us some telling findings that will help to demystify the role of “supervising” physicians, which I can tell you—after decades of advocating on the state and federal levels—is still very much a need. Through this survey, we have gathered insights into the dynamics of physician-PA collaboration, showcasing the true nature of interactions between physicians and PAs under their supervision. For policymakers and their constituents who hear the word “supervision” and imagine a physician standing over a PA's shoulder, we now have the words of physicians to shatter this misperception. Notably, about 8 in 10 physicians (83%) report spending less than a quarter of their time monitoring the PAs with whom they work. And nearly two-thirds (63%) say they are never or rarely (a few times a year) present during PA-patient interactions. To me, these data show that physicians trust PAs. Also, the findings show that the so-called physician-led healthcare delivery model AMA claims it is striving to preserve is not only outdated—it's practically nonexistent. Heading into AAPA 2025, I encourage all PAs to dig into the data. The May conference is an invigorating time for our profession, a time to explore ways to advance both our own careers and the future of healthcare. As you think about the various ways you advocate for your patients and the tough questions you may face from those resistant to change, I hope this recent research from AAPA will serve as a tool for you as an essential player in our profession's mission to enhance patient care.