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OAKVILLE BEAVER Saturday, April 18, 2009 · 14 PAs will arrive in Emergency this summer By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Physician assistants or PAs -- long used in the U.S. and by the Canadian Armed Forces since 1984 -- are coming to the Emergency Departments (ED) of Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH) and Milton District Hospital (MDH) -- probably by late summer. Their arrival is part of a twoyear pilot in Ontario -- at 20 hospitals -- so the role, new to Ontario health care, can be evaluated. "I believe you'll see incremental growth in the role, that it will grow quite steadily over the next 10 years," said Dr. Lorne Martin, chief of staff for Halton Healthcare Services (HHS), which operates OTMH, MDH and Georgetown Hospital. "There is a very significant shortage of physicians in Ontario and a severe shortage of Emergency physicians," said Martin. PAs are health professionals, who support doctors. Martin called them "physician extenders." The Ministry of Health has funded 75 per cent of the cost of the two PAs coming to Halton for two years with the hospitals picking up 25 per cent of the tab. Martin noted, however, $1 million was received in Halton for improving Emergency wait times, so HHS will also draw from that funding to finance the new role. Salaries have yet to be deter- "There is a very significant shortage of physicians in Ontario and a severe shortage of Emergency physicians." Dr. Lorne Martin, chief of staff, Halton Healthcare mined or finalized by the hospitals, but Martin expects they will be comparable to nursing staff. The hospitals applied to be included in the trial and Martin believes population growth and demand for service played a part in the hospitals' success. "The project focuses on reducing wait times and main- taining full emergency service coverage, and therefore dovetails nicely with the province's new ER Department Wait Time Strategy," said Martin. "Adding a physician assistant, another qualified health care practitioner, to our ED health care teams will help us address our staffing pressures and will KNEE, HEEL & ARCH PAIN ARE TREATABLE! Understanding the source of your foot and knee pain could lead to permanent relief. Book a consultation today! SALIMA KASSAM REG. CHIROPODIST NEW LOCATION Free Parking in front of office We Treat: · Diabetic Foot Care · General Care · Custom Made Foot Orthotics P Covered by most insurance companies. 728 Burloak Drive 905-632-1414 www.footandhealthclinic.com Dr. Jenna Davis Family Chiropractor/ Acupuncturist Alliance Healthcare Professionals Dr. Jenna Davis provide our patients with more timely access to quality care," said Martin. Advertising, recruiting, interviewing, hiring and significant training still needs to be done said Martin. Finding a qualified PA is not easy. The only places from which to hire would be the Canadian military or the U.S. That is, until the first class of PAs is graduated from McMaster University's new, two-year PA training program that began in 2008. Martin said many of those currently in that new program have been advanced paramedics or intensive care unit nurses. McMaster launched Ontario's first civilian physician assistant education program and graduates of the two-year Bachelor of Health Sciences program will have the skills and competencies necessary to meet Canadian standards and to practice as PAs in Ontario. The doctor outlined the PAs will work under the direction of a supervising physician. While PAs are not regulated in Canada, which Martin admits is a bit unusual in the health care field, he likened it to firefighters administering defibrillation. He also explained that in a doctor's regulation with the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the doctor is allowed to delegate the medical act to another person provided certain standards as to training, quality control and patient contact by the doctor are supported. Martin said every position in health care plays part of a team with various duties, some of those duties overlapping. He noted nurses are regulated under their own professional standards to act independently in the health care arena when it comes to ordering x-rays, initiating blood work or starting treatment. PAs would not be allowed to work independently, but would function as an extension of a doctor, taking over tasks such as applying a cast, administering stitches or providing discharge information. "The real difference with a PA is that they are there to extend a physician's time more efficiently," said Martin. A PA may conduct patient interviews and take medical histories, perform physical exams and certain controlled acts as delegated by a doctor, and provide counselling on preventive healthcare. In Ontario, 62 PAs are working in clinical settings across Ontario including hospitals, community health centres, diabetes care and long-term care patient management settings. 905.845.2291 Specializes in: · Pediatrics · Pre and Postnatal Care · Naturally Turning Breech Babies · Fertility Issues CONTROLLING YOU? DIABETES Wellness care for the entire family! CHIROPRACTIC MOTHER'S MORNING OUT Wellness, Health and Development Information for You and Your Family WITH DR. 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