American Osteopathic Association Applauds Missouri Decision to Limit How Physician Assistants Practice Medicine
To: National Desk, Medical
Reporter Contact: Karyn Gianfrancesco of the American Osteopathic Association, 312-202-8042 or 800-621-1773, ext. 8042
CHICAGO, July 14 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) applauds the recent decision by a Cole County (Mo.) Circuit Judge that physician assistants must practice in the same building as their supervising physician. The lawsuit, filed against the State Board of Registration for the Healing Arts, stemmed from their attempt to promulgate a rule permitting physician assistants to diagnose medical conditions, prescribe medications and practice in locations up to 50 miles from their supervising physician.
While the role of physician assistants expands these days, the AOA supports only the private practice of physician assistants under the direct supervision of qualified D.O.s or M.D.s.
"Physicians assistants lack the medical training required to practice medicine," says John B. Crosby, J.D., AOA executive director. "In fact, most physician assistants obtain only a fraction of the education of a physician. Even managed care organizations seeking to minimize costs have been slow to embrace physician assistants because of concern about quality of care and liability for mistakes. We hope that other states will realize the importance of this decision by the State of Missouri and continue to provide their patients with the highest quality of medical care by allowing only D.O.s or M.D.s to make medical decisions."
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The AOA represents more than 43,000 osteopathic physicians (D.O.s), promotes public health, encourages scientific research and is the accrediting agency for all osteopathic medical schools and health care facilities.
-0- /U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/ 07/14 12:45
Copyright 1999, U.S. Newswire
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