Physicians, it’s time to end the war against P.A.s and N.P.s
“P.A.s and N.P.s are taking over the healthcare industry! I don’t want to lose my job to a mid-level provider!”
How many times have you see that on social media posts or blog articles?
Setting aside the use of the pejorative term “mid-level provider,” I think it’s time for physicians to end the assault on the clinical practices of P.A.s and N.P.s.
I get tired of the self-importance that many physicians place on their role in the medical profession, as though physicians hold exclusivity on good clinical practice.
I love being a physician, and I spent 14 years after high school training to do it well. However, I’m not the only person qualified to deliver high quality medical care to my patients.
Are you worried about P.A.s and N.P.s taking your job? If you’re a good doctor, you should stop worrying. Great P.A.s and N.P.s are everywhere, and I think it’s time physicians embraced them.
P.A.s and N.P.s have excellent skills
It would be disingenuous for P.A.s and N.P.s to claim that their medical training is equivalent to that of a physician. Does that make them less qualified to practice medicine? Absolutely not!!
My first rotation as a third-year medical student was in the trauma bay at University Hospital in San Antonio. There was a P.A. there who ran the trauma bay every third shift, alternating with second year surgery residents.
I learned a lot from Greg. He was truly a skilled clinician. He taught me how to suture, how to run a trauma code, and how to put in a central line.
Now, not all P.A.s and N.P.s will be such an excellent provider, and I understand that. News flash: I know plenty of doctors who aren’t so great either. I think skill level has much more to do with the individual than their degree.
On balance, physicians have more in-depth training and may be qualified for areas of practice that P.A.s and N.P.s aren’t qualified for. That shouldn’t prevent us from accepting them as clinical providers.
P.A.s and N.P.s make you more productive as a physician
This is especially true in gastroenterology, but I think there is a role for a P.A. or N.P. in every specialty. All of the P.A.s and N.P.s that have ever worked for me have been fantastic! They absorbed knowledge like a sponge and became highly independent very quickly.
Once they started functioning more independently, I was able to shift my time to be more procedure-heavy. That enabled me to do the therapeutic interventions only I could provide. My business productivity quickly increased by 30%, eventually up to 60% higher.
Well-trained independent P.A.s and N.P.s will more than pull their own weight. Working with them will make you more productive by increasing your focus on issues only you can address.
America needs good P.A.s and N.P.s
As the Baby Boomers retire, we expect America to experience a major shortage of physicians. It’s important to American healthcare that we find ways to expand our ability to care for more patients.
With more and more physicians looking to go part-time, avoiding primary care jobs, and talking increasingly about retiring early, we need more P.A.s and N.P.s to pick up the slack, not fewer.
I don’t think physicians can have it both ways. We can’t say that P.A.s and N.P.s shouldn’t be allowed to practice in the same way we do and simultaneously try to work as little as possible. That’s not sustainable for a national healthcare model.
P.A.s and N.P.s as independent practitioners
This issue has generated a lot of controversy over the past few years. I’ve seen a lot of petitions circulated to physicians to sign to try to block bills that would allow P.A.s and N.P.s to practice independently of physicians.
I have some mixed feelings about this issue, I’ll admit.
First, I think it would be unwise for P.A.s and N.P.s to go into independent practice immediately after training. That’s especially true of the subspecialties like GI and endocrinology.
As I said earlier, the length and intensity of clinical training is a lot less for P.A.s and N.P.s than for physicians. I think P.A.s and N.P.s generally benefit from several years of practicing under physician mentorship to solidify their clinical skills.
My P.A.s and N.P.s work under my supervision, but they function largely independently. I trust them to make good clinical decisions and to come to me when they get stuck. That’s based on years of experience and seeing them gradually increase their independence as their skill level grows.
Second, I do think that it’s incumbent on P.A.s and N.P.s to recognize their limitations and not seek to operate outside their scope of practice.
I’ve taken care of plenty of patients that had clinical issues that were missed by a P.A. or an N.P. Yes, it’s frustrating. But, guess what? I’ve had that happen with patients under the care of physicians too.
I honestly don’t have a problem with P.A.s and N.P.s practicing independently as long as they practice according to their skill level and recognize their limitations. I hold physicians to the same standards.
P.A.s and N.P.s aren’t taking your jobs
If you think they are going to take over your job, it’s time for you to adapt or to work with them.
When I was on my OB/GYN rotation in medical school, I learned a lot from our nurse midwives. They were great! They could do most of the things the physicians could do, but they recognized their limitations and deferred certain cases to the doctors.
Did that diminish the practice of the OB/GYN doctors? I have to say, I don’t think it did. Everyone knew their role and stayed in their lane. It was efficient, productive, and safe.
Are you worried about losing your market share to a P.A.s or an N.P.s? Why not hire them, train them, and work with them?
Either do that, or just get over it.
Trust me, there are so many patients that need care that even an independently practicing P.A. or N.P. won’t be able to corner the market.
If that leads to increased delivery of quality healthcare for our patients, how can we not celebrate that?
Final thoughts
As a group, I find P.A.s and N.P.s to be conscientious, skilled, and compassionate. They have a different skill set than us, and they will benefit from your mentorship and guidance throughout their practice.
I’ve worked with them in the outpatient and inpatient setting, and I have no qualms about it. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that I couldn’t do my job as well as I do without them.
They make me more productive and efficient. Our patients love them, and they offer excellent clinical care.
Physicians, it’s time for us to stop demonizing P.A.s and N.P.s. They’re not just “mid-level providers” or “physician extenders.” They’re highly competent clinicians who will make the practice of medicine better for our patients and for our healthcare system.
Let’s celebrate them, mentor them, and work with them so our patients get the excellent care they deserve when they need it.
Further Reading
Leave a comment below and share your thoughts on how we as physicians can work with P.A.s and N.P.s, instead of against them.
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Ann Lewis, APRN, DNP
Wow! Thank you so much for your support! I am tired of hearing physicians saying bad things about APRNs and PAs. I am proud to have been an APRN over the past 26 years and have been blessed to work with physicians that truly collaborate with us. I agree that it is time to focus on taking care of patients!
Brent Lacey
Ann-
I couldn’t agree more! We get so focused on defending our turf at times that we forget that the patients should be the prime focus. I thinks it’s high time we acknowledged that and start refocusing our efforts on just making healthcare better for everyone. Thanks!
-Brent
Shana Fleming NP C
50% of the state’s in the USA are ok with us having our practices and being equal. I live in Florida. I have still have to have over see me. I get 80% reimbursement of Medicare. I cannot even sign home health orders. If I get my DPN I still make the same amount money. Talk about doing the same job and being under appreciated!
Brent Lacey
Shana-
There’s a lot of ire over this issue, and I agree with you that a lot of policies governing NP/PA practices are unfair. Hopefully this article helps to get more people talking so we can see some changes.
Mark vojtko
Thank you! Good article. Any competent practitioner should know when to call for a lifeline. Check your ego.
Mark Vojtko, APRN-CRNA
Brent Lacey
I totally agree! It’s incumbent on all practitioners to know their limits and call for help when needed.
Dr. Celeste Baldwin, Ph.D.,APRN, CNS
Excellent idea! It’s about time to legitimize these talented and well educated professionals!
Brent Lacey
I’m all for expanding quality healthcare coverage to our patients. I hope that physicians, NPs, and PAs can find ways to continue to work together to make healthcare available to our patients at the highest quality level possible.
Ron Wing
Very well written article. Thank you for your support.
Ron Wing, MSN, CRNA, FNP-C
Brent Lacey
My pleasure! There’s a huge need for all of us. I think if we spent more time talking to each other and less time talking about each other, we’d get a lot more done.
yasmine lee
Thank you so much for your support. We need more physicians who understand and values us so that we truly can work as a team for the best patient outcome. Best regards, Yasmine Lee, DNP, ANP-BC
Brent Lacey
Yasmine-
It’s my pleasure!! We all need to be supporting each other, especially during this time of crisis. We should be able to trust each other and lean on each other.
-Brent
Susan Ferguson, DHSc, PA-C
Thank you for this post. As a practicing PA in gastroenterology, I appreciate the fact that you recognize what PAs and NPs can bring to the table regarding medical care. It has been disheartening seeing our PA jobs dwindle in large hospital systems because we do not enjoy the same autonomy laws as NPs. Additionally, the PA profession is taking a hit because unfortunately, many physicians are becoming employees themselves and less physicians are willing to take on a supervisory role. It is a travesty to realize that if every physician in the United States decided not to mentor PAs, over 150,000 HCWs would just disappear from the landscape. I have been so fortunate to have a wonderful DO as my mentor and supervising physician but when he retires at the end of the year, the community has now lost two providers. The laws need to change with the new health care landscape. I genuinely appreciate your kind words and unbiased conclusions.
Brent Lacey
Susan-
Thank you so much for the kind remarks!! I hope conversations like this inspire other physicians to follow the lead. I hope you find value in the rest of the site! There’s a lot of great content to help you improve your clinical practice and master your personal finances. Did you see the free guide “10 Day Simple Marketing Makeover” on the home page?
-Brent