ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — As part of Governor Kathy Hochul’s new budget proposal she’s looking to loosen restrictions on physician assistants so they can practice without supervision by a physician. Medical practitioners say this will increase access to care.
There is a healthcare workforce shortage and, according to research by the University of Albany, that’s expected to get worse by 2030. Hochul’s new proposal would loosen restrictions on Physician Assistants so they can see more patients without supervision.
Taylor Indivero, a Physician Assistant at Rochester Regional Health said, “We take very seriously the care that we render and we want to ensure that the care that we are rendering is the highest quality, it’s safe for the patient, it’s cost-effective. But ultimately, the patients still need to be seen.”
Currently, one physician is able to supervise either up to 4 or up to 6 PAs, depending on where they work. If passed, this would eliminate that administrative barrier. Although this would allow PAs to work autonomously the proposed change wouldn’t broaden the scope of a PA’s job.