Physician Assistants Make Their Mark on Health Care

Nemours Enterprise
Tuesday, September 30, 2008 @ 04:22 PM EDT
by: Cortney Owens; Phone - (850) 505-4739; cowens@nemours.org

Pensacola, FL – When Ambree was born, she had a very complex medical case dealing with her stomach, colon, and kidneys. Ryan Krasnosky, PA, a Physician Assistant (PA) in the Gastroenterology Division at Nemours Children’s Clinic Pensacola, was one of the first health care providers to meet with Ambree and her parents. Some parents may not want their child to see a Physician Assistant, only the main doctor because of the many misconceptions about what a PA is and does in the health care setting.

“When we first saw Ryan at Nemours, he was extremely knowledgeable about Ambree’s situation, and he treated her like she was one of his own children. We were very comfortable with him and no matter how many times we called or what time it was, he was always available to answer our questions,” says Kent St. Avant, Ambree’s dad. “Ambree has come a long way, and we are extremely happy with the care we received.”

In reality, Physician Assistants are licensed health professionals who practice medicine as members of a team with their supervising physicians and PAs deliver a broad range of medical and surgical services to diverse populations in rural and urban settings. As part of their comprehensive responsibilities, PAs prescribe medication, conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, counsel on preventive health care, and assist in surgery.

“Sometimes, people are unfamiliar with the role and training of a Physician Assistant within a medical practice. Most PA's graduated from accredited programs within the medical schools of major universities. They work side by side with the physician, and this team approach improves the level of patient care,” says Krasnosky. “Once patients become familiar with the knowledge and responsibilities a PA has, they become very receptive to the assistance and services we can provide.”

Quality patient care is at the core of what Physician Assistants do. PAs give their patients an enhanced sense of responsibility by teaching patients critical information about their health care and providing guidance, support, and the most efficient and effective care at all times.

Nemours Children’s Clinic knows the importance of having PAs on their medical team. 36 Physician Assistants are employed throughout the Nemours Health System; 9 of which are located in the State of Florida and 4 are positioned in Pensacola, FL. According to the American Academy of Physician Assistants, there are 83 PAs practicing in pediatrics across Florida.

“We are very fortunate to have Physician Assistants here at Nemours. They provide a valuable benefit to our patients in allowing them more rapid access to a very busy pediatric specialty care practice. Our physicians also benefit in extending availability to new patients while allowing continued focused follow-up care to existing patients by well-trained PAs who work very closely with us,” says Mary Mehta, MD, Chief of Pediatrics at Nemours Children’s Clinic Pensacola.

During the week of October 6-12, PAs around the United States, including members of Nemours Children’s Clinic, will celebrate National Physician Assistant Week. It was on October 6, 1967, that the first class of PAs graduated from Duke University in North Carolina. Currently, there are 141 such programs nationally.

For more information about the PA profession or PA Week, visit the American Academy of Physician Assistants Web page at www.aapa.org.

modified: Wednesday, October 01, 2008 @ 11:01 AM EDT
created: Tuesday, September 30, 2008 @ 04:22 PM EDT

About Nemours

Nemours, one of the nation’s largest pediatric health systems, is dedicated to achieving higher standards in children’s health. Nemours offers an integrated spectrum of clinical treatment coupled with research, advocacy, and educational health and prevention services extending to all families in the communities it serves. Starting with Alfred I. duPont’s bequest over seventy years ago, Nemours has grown into a multi-dimensional organization offering personalized clinical and preventive care focused on children.

Nemours owns and operates the Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware and major children’s specialty clinics in Delaware (Wilmington), Florida (Jacksonville, Orlando and Pensacola), Pennsylvania (Philadelphia and Bryn Mawr) and New Jersey (Atlantic City and Voorhees). Having recently received preliminary approval from the State of Florida, Nemours will establish a new full-service children’s hospital as part of an integrated pediatric health campus in Orlando. KidsHealth.org, the world’s most visited pediatric health care Web site for parents, kids and teens, is a project of Nemours.

Nemours employs over 4,400 individuals, including 430 pediatric physicians, specialists and surgeons who cared for approximately a quarter of a million children in 2007. The organization’s goal is to align with parents, physicians, community leaders, children’s advocates and elected officials to ensure optimal wellness for every child. Additional information about Nemours can be found at www.nemours.org.