Use of physicians' assistants in the delivery of medical care.

Abstract

,clinical psychologists, technicians of all kinds and occupational therapists in their traditional roles. It will cover only those developments in which nUrses are assuming functions traditionally reserved in our culture for doctors, or where new programs are training various types of assistants to perform functions traditionally reserved for doctors. The medical profession, the colleges and high schools, the medical schools and medical centers, the lay public and governmental funding agen­ cies have all accepted the premise that doctors are, and will be for a number of years , in short supply. The nation is ready and able to purchase a larger quantity ot personal health services. These services should be of high qual­ ity and low unit cost. Two types of programs are being developed: 1. Upgrade the educati on and functions of the nurse so that under the di­ rection of a doctor she can carry out functions currently being per­ formed only by doctors. 2. Train new categories· of persons who can become members of the physi­ cian's health team. Both these programs envision that the new personnel will engage in what is currently the diagnosis and practice of medicine. The pediatric nurse practitioner, the coronary care nurse specialist, the inhalation thera­ pist, the physician's assistant are being taught to carry out functions which in the past have been performed only by physicians. In a few states, these functions have been legalized by changes in the medical practice art. In a majority of states, they are functioning with the tacit approval of the medi­ cal profession, because no one has a better solution to the needs of the pub­ lic. UPGRADE THE FUNCTION OF THE NURSE NURSE CLINICS