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For Immediate Release
For More Information:
Carmel Hearn, O'Neill Communications
carmel@oneillcommunications.com
770.578.9765
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS FILL EMERGING HEALTHCARE NEED
Atlanta, Ga. (September 12, 2007) -A person becomes sick or injured and tries to make a doctor's appointment, but the physician's schedule is so full that the patient has to wait for days to receive treatment. What choice does the patient have but to wait it out? It is an ever-increasing predicament in healthcare management. Many managed healthcare plans won't allow patients to see another doctor. However, most will allow them to see their doctor's physician assistant.
Physician assistants (PAs) are licensed health professionals who practice medicine as members of a team with their supervising physicians. 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 conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, counsel on preventive health care, prescribe medications, and assist in surgery.
Members of the Georgia Association of Physician Assistants (GAPA) will join with PAs around the United States to celebrate National Physician Assistants Week October 6-12. It was on October 6, 1967, that the first class of PAs graduated from Duke University in North Carolina. Georgia's celebration will kick off on Wednesday, September 26, with a proclamation signing by Governor Sonny Perdue at the State Capitol Building in Atlanta.
"Everyone knows what a doctor is, and a nurse, but physician assistants are still a mystery to some people, even though we've been practicing since the '60s," said Devon Nobis, PA-C, chair of GAPA's public education committee. "So we must educate the public, and even some physicians, about who we are, and how we contribute to the health care system. The Georgia Association of Physician Assistants' mission is to promote high quality, cost-effective, accessible health care as part of a physician-directed PA/physician team."
GAPA has several events planned throughout October to help promote this effort. Members will serve as first-aid volunteers at local festivals such as Atlanta's AIDS walk and Savannah's YMCA Heart of Savannah 5K race. GAPA is also participating in ongoing projects to increase health literacy, especially for children and seniors, including partnering with schools, libraries, shelters, and hospitals.
The association's website is a key component of a recently launched statewide awareness campaign. The site contains important healthcare news for consumers, including facts on cervical cancer, skin cancer, and osteoarthritis. For more information about the Georgia Association of Physician Assistants, visit www.gapa.net.
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