2016 Physician Assistant Workforce Fact Sheet
Physician assistants (PAs) are medical practitioners who work under the supervision of a licensed physician. They play a vital role in the health care system by performing physical examinations, making diagnoses, and prescribing treatment to patients. In addition to these general responsibilities, PAs order and interpret laboratory tests, including X-rays, as well as suturing, splinting, and casting injuries. The physician assistant role was created in the 1960s to reducing barriers to accessing health care that had resulted from the increasing shortage or maldistribution of physicians, particularly in rural and underserved communities. Data on the PA workforce is critical to understanding capacity of this workforce in Indiana.
Data Report: 2016 Indiana Physician Assistant Licensure Survey
Identifying supply and distribution of the Physician Assistant (PA) workforce is crucial in understanding the capacity to meet health needs and improve overall population health of Indiana citizens. Data presented in this report provide a snapshot of key demographic and practice characteristics for Indiana’s PA workforce. The 2016 Indiana Physician Assistant Data Report presents information derived from data collected from the PA re-licensure survey administered by the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (IPLA) during the biennial license renewal period. In 2016 1,346 PAs renewed their professional licenses. Of these, 806 reported having a verified Indiana practice address and are included in this report. The greatest number of PAs report practicing in Marion County and Allen County yet over one-third of Indiana counties (37.0%) do not have any reported PA full-time equivalents (FTE). As with other health workforce professions, the greatest need for PAs exists in rural, less populous counties; over three-quarters (79.4%) of those counties absent PA professionals are designated as rural. This report details important demographic and practice characteristics for the PA workforce, examining these data specifically in relation to PA supply and distribution. The 2016 Indiana Physician Assistant Data Report provides stakeholders with information needed to improve the quality of and accessibility to primary care for Indiana residents through policymaking, workforce development and resource allocation.
2015 Indiana Primary Health Care: Description, Distribution, Challenges, and Strategic Recommendation to Empowered Decision Making
Over the past few years, and in light of the recent Supreme Court ruling on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the result of the 2012 Presidential election, access to health care services has been in the forefront of health care discussions. Driving these discussions are rising chronic disease rates, skyrocketing health care costs, and the ever increasing number of individuals falling into that black hole known as the “uninsured” — all of which are major burdens on Indiana’s health system. Regardless of ones perspective on health reform, the links between primary health care access, health outcomes, and health care costs are undeniable [1-3]. People with access to primary health care services live longer, healthier lives, and the overall cost of their health care are less than those without access to these services. Ensuring a strong primary health care system across the State of Indiana is crucial to ensuring the health of Hoosiers and improving the efficiency of Indiana’s health system. However, before our current system can be strengthened, it must be understood. This begs the following questions: what is primary care?; why is it important?; who provides these services?; and where are they located? The development and implementation of health policies and primary health care programs that would secure Hoosier health relies on the ability of the State of Indiana to make informed decisions.
2013 Indiana County Fact Sheets
These fact sheets present detailed information on each of Indiana’s 92 counties. Information is provided on population and health system characteristics for each county which is critical to Indiana’s health system for planning and policy development. For each county, population characteristics such as age, race, economic indicators, health status, and education attainment were reported. Health system characteristics were also reported. Health workforce supply, healthcare facilities, and health professions shortages were used to estimate access to health care for each county. Data in each fact sheet provide stakeholders with information needed to improve the quality and accessibility of health care for Indiana residents through policy making, workforce development, and resource allocation. Additionally, fact sheets may be useful to local organizations seeking information for grant proposals or program implementation.