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Title |
Physician Assistant Pursuit of Prescriptive Authority: A Five-State Analysis |
Author |
Cohen, Howard |
Summary |
A thesis submitted to the Johns Hopkins University in conformity with requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. Abstract: PAs are trained individuals who practice medicine under the supervision of, and the authority delegated by, a licensed physician. Conceived in 1965, the PA profession is barely thirty years old, but by 1996 claims more than 27,000 members in practice nationwide. As the profession has matured, the scope of medical practice of its members has concomitantly broadened. The scope of practice of health professions are determined on a state-by-state basis by legislatures and regulatory bodies. PAs in many states have petitioned these authorities for authorization to prescribe medications; frequently these petitions have sparked public policy debates. PAs advance that prescribing is an integral component of medical treatment that they are adequately prepared to engage in by virtue of their education and training. Others, often including physicians and pharmacists, frequently contest these claims, for reasons ranging from honest belief that only physicians should prescribe, to fear of additional legal liability, to fear of marketplace competition. this thesis explores in depth the dynamics of PA prescribing campaigns in five states - Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, and Pennsylvania. Several Concepts appeared to mediate prescribing campaigns in each state, including linking prescribing to other public health concerns such as health provider access difficulties, strategic alliances between PAs and supportive organizations, reassurance to other professions and policy makers that the PAs were not seeking independent practice, and willingness to compromise. Application of these concepts is intended to inform concerned individuals in other states, particularly Maryland, where the issue of prescribing by PAs remained unresolved. |
Published Date |
1996 |
Search Terms |
Dissertation Georgia Maryland Massachusetts Montana Pennsylvania Prescription Authority |
Object Name |
Thesis |