When successfully integrated into a dermatologic surgery practice the physician assistant enhances patient care and satisfaction and permits the physician to focus on more complex medical decision-making and technically advanced procedures. In today's climate of declining reimbursement for health care services, the importance of maximizing physician efficiency is paramount. A PA provides the physician with the ability to focus on medical decision-making and on performance of the technically complex aspects of the surgery while permitting the PA to perform the more straightforward tasks.
Colleagues frequently ask a number of questions regarding the role of a PA in dermatologic surgery.
These questions are addressed in detail below. The certification for PAs is time-limited with recertification required every 6 years. These programs are affiliated with medical schools and medical school faculty are responsible for a majority of the teaching. A PA provides a broad range of health care services that are traditionally performed by a doctor. PAs are trained to perform physical exams, diagnose illness, develop and implement treatment plans, order and interpret lab results, suture wounds, assist in surgery, provide preventative health care counseling, and, in 41 states, write prescriptions.