Physician Assistant Medical Malpractice in the Healthcare Workforce

Using the first 17 years of data from the National Practitioner Data Bank, contained herein is the first comprehensive examination of physician assistant medical malpractice and other markers of medical practice safety. The(PA)profession has become a significant factor in the United States health care delivery system. PAs and Advanced Practice Nurses (APN) play an increasing role in the cost effective delivery of health care in the United States. Quality of care stakeholders are increasingly concerned about the medical care being delivered by these non-physician providers. Stakeholders include local and national government, health care delivery organizations, education programs, the health insurance industry and the general public. Dr. Nicholson's research answers the question of whether or not PAs and APNs are safe providers of medical care when compared with physicians. Often viewed as less trained and poorly qualified, Dr. Nicholson's scholarly examination puts to rest the notion that non-physician providers of medical care pose a quality or safety risk to the public when compared head to head with the rates of medical malpractice and disciplinary actions against physicians.