juillet 13, 2023
Three physician assistants were hired to collaborate with orthopedic surgeons in Halifax and Dartmouth under a three-year pilot project in 2020. Based on the success of the pilot, efforts are underway to recruit four additional orthopedics physician assistants and scale the initiative to other areas, such as orthopedic oncology services and orthopedic trauma services. The physician assistants are key supports for wait list reduction efforts. When surgeons are unavailable to be on the floor or for requests for consults due to being in surgery, delays can be avoided as physician assistants can act as an extension of their surgeon.