JAAPA : official journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants
-
Comparative Study
A rural-urban comparison of patterns of physician assistant practice.
Access to primary care continues to be a concern in rural areas. The deficit of primary care providers in rural environments has the potential to increase the role of physician assistants (PAs) in the system of rural health care delivery. Little is known about the conditions, sites, and patterns of practice of PAs and their distribution in Pennsylvania, the state with the largest rural population. ⋯ Experience with managed care is greater for urban PAs. A rural PA is more likely than an urban PA to practice in an underserved area. For both rural and urban PAs who practice primary care, significant differences were noted in their willingness to practice in a rural underserved area, compared to PAs who do not practice primary care.