The Saskatchewan government is introducing legislation to add physician assistants (PA) to the healthcare system.. Stethoscope .Currently, PAs are not licensed in Saskatchewan, but several other provinces and US states use them..The government said the new PA role adds “more skilled professionals to the provincial health system to help address the demand for health human resources and provide a team-based approach to healthcare.” .The Medical Profession Amendment Act, 2023 introduced Tuesday “will regulate physician assistants under the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan and establish the scope of practice for the new profession.” .“Licensing and integrating physician assistants into our healthcare teams will help meet the healthcare needs of Saskatchewan people,” said Health Minister Paul Merriman..“We are making key investments in 2023-24 to recruit, train, incentivize, and retain more health care workers, including physicians, nurses, and other health professionals.”.PAs are healthcare professionals “who have taken additional advanced training at one of the recognized programs in Canada… They practice medicine under the supervision of a licensed physician, often within a multidisciplinary health team.".PAs can be used in primary care, long-term care, emergency departments, cancer care, internal medicine, and surgical specialties..The primary duties of a PA are “conducting patient examinations, prescribing medications, and ordering and interpreting tests.”.“Thank you to the Saskatchewan government for introducing legislation to regulate physician assistants,” said Canadian Association of Physician Assistants Saskatchewan Director Todd Bryden.. Todd Bryden .“This is a vital step in effectively introducing physician assistants into the province at a critical time when the health care system has been stretched to the limit. Regulating physician assistants through the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan means physician assistants in the province will be required to follow standards for competency, safety, and ethics like other regulated health professionals in the region.”.“This ensures they are accountable for the care they provide, and the public is protected, further strengthening and lending credibility to the physician assistants profession in Canada. Physician assistants are an integral part of the healthcare team and will help enhance the capacity of our health care system.”.The anticipated benefits of adding PAs include a “reduction in wait times, improvements in patient discharge rates, and a continued decrease in length of hospital stays. Physician assistants will reduce resident and physician workload, allowing our healthcare professionals the ability to see more patients in a timely manner.”.This PA legislation creates 12 PA positions across the provincial healthcare system at the cost of approximately $1.3 million, which was included in the 2023-24 provincial budget..The ministry of Health worked with “key stakeholders, including the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan Medical Association, and the Canadian Association of Physician Assistants.”.The legislation comes into effect upon proclamation.
