Twenty-one states have taken action to suspend or waive certain practice requirements for physician assistants in response to COVID-19. However, more than 22.1 percent of PAs have been furloughed.
PAs face the challenges of many healthcare workers, lack of PPE, termination, and changing practice settings.
A recent survey from the American Academy of Physician Assistants show the challenges PAs are facing under COVID-19.
- Nearly one-third of respondents (31.7 percent) said they have had to go without necessary personal protective equipment.
- Of the PAs who have treated COVID-19 patients, 38.9 percent went without PPE.
- Nearly 6 percent of respondents said they have changed specialties over the last 10 weeks.
- Nearly 10 percent of respondents said they have changed practice settings over the last 10 weeks, such as moving from outpatient surgical center to intensive care unit.
- A portion of respondents (3.7 percent) said they had been terminated due to COVID-19.
- Nearly 3 in 5 PAs said their hours worked were reduced due to COVID-19.
- Nearly 31 percent of respondents said their base pay was reduced due to COVID-19.
Read more about the survey here. Get information on 21 state reactions.
Click here for more workforce changes during COVID-19.
Lisa Remington is widely recognized as one of the foremost futurists in the home care industry, focusing on healthcare trends and disruptive innovation. She serves as the president and publisher of the Remington Report magazine and is also the President of Remington’s Think Tank Strategy Institute. Lisa provides strategic advice and education to over 10,000 organizations, assisting them in developing transformative strategies for growth and their future implications. She closely monitors complex trends and forces of change to develop effective strategic approaches.
