Value of Physician Assistants: Recommendations for Action

Internationally, Canada is a high health spender. In 2016, total health expenditures were expected to reach $228.1 billion, or 11.1 per cent of GDP. At $5,543 per capita, Canada’s health care spending is one of the highest internationally.

Value of Physician Assistants: Recommendations for Action is the fourth and final instalment in this series of reports to provide a better understanding of the role and impact of physician assistants (PAs) in various health care settings across Canada. PAs represent a largely untapped resource that can help governments continue to provide high levels of service while reducing overall system costs. By properly optimizing and integrating this workforce into the health care system, which involves support through appropriate funding models, addressing regulation and data-tracking challenges, expanding supply and training, and enhancing evidence and understanding of impact, governments can help overcome Canada’s health system sustainability challenges through better integration and increased collaboration.