Physician Assistants are key to improving health care access

Leah Yoke, PA-C, MCHS, is a teaching associate in the Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

She says our health care system is facing a “perfect storm.” Demand for medical providers is outpacing supply. More than 96 million Americans lack adequate access to primary care and more than 155 million Americans lack access to mental health care.

Add to that health care worker shortages, a growing aging population, shifting percentages of chronic diseases, and the lingering effects of COVID-19.

“To ensure that every patient has access to and receives the high-quality care that they need when they need it, it’s essential that our existing health care workforce can practice to the full extent of their education, training and experience. Physician assistants, also known as PAs, are part of this medical team that must be used fully in order to meet the demands of today’s modern health care needs.”