Online degrees may lead to jobs in reformed healthcare system
Online degrees may lead to jobs in reformed healthcare system
As Congress continues its debate about the healthcare reform, the American Academy of Physician Assistants has said the doctors' shortage that makes accessing basic care a struggle can be remedied by better utilizing the skills of physician assistants (PAs).
The organization says PAs are licensed health professionals who are qualified to provide much of the same basic care as physicians. They should therefore be allowed to provide that level of service to Medicare patients in order to lower costs and increase access, it believes.
"The PA profession was created so that even in areas where doctors are few, patients can have access to quality care," says Stephen H. Hanson, president of the academy.
"Unfortunately, Medicare patients are denied this care because of outdated laws and unnecessary restrictions on a group of providers that stands ready to meet their needs," he adds.
Reforms proposed in the healthcare bill that aim to expand access and insurance coverage to all Americans may provide incentives to enroll in an online nursing degreeor physician assistant program for adults seeking a new and better paying career.
The Labor Department estimates demand for physician assistants will grow by 27 percent during the next several years, and top salaries already exceed $102,230.
