Physician assistants can enhance experience in a practice

In our practice at Minnesota Eye Consultants, we are committed to what I call an “integrated eye care delivery model.” We have 13 ophthalmologists and 13 optometrists. To support these doctors and the six offices and four ASCs we staff, Minnesota Eye Consultants employs about 55 certified ophthalmic technologists/technicians/assistants and optometric assistants, 26 RNs/LPNs, seven certified operating room technicians, six opticians and, starting 5 years ago, a physician assistant, up to three PAs today.In our practice, the PAs practice independently within our state of Minnesota’s scope of practice laws, much like our doctors of optometry, but we have assigned our PAs distinctly different duties and responsibilities from our optometrists. With 12 surgeons performing more than 16,000 surgical procedures a year, there are many history and physical examinations (H&P) to be performed within 30 days of surgery. We have our YAG lasers in our ASCs, as our surgeons do YAG laser procedures between cataract surgery cases, and each YAG laser patient also requires an H&P. In addition, we have a total of 290 employees, and we “self-insure” with catastrophic third-party insurance coverage using a high deductible for our employee and our own health care. Our PAs therefore also provide significant primary and preventive medical care to our team members. This is a valued service for our employees and also reduces their and our health care costs significantly.