title: Musculoskeletal Workforce Needs: Are Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners the Solution? AOA Critical Issues.
abstract: Growth estimates and demographic shifts of the population of the United States foreshadow a future heightened demand for musculoskeletal care. Although many articles have discussed this growing demand on the musculoskeletal workforce, few address the inevitable need for more musculoskeletal care providers. As we are unable to increase the number of orthopaedic surgeons because of restrictions on graduate medical education slots, physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) represent one potential solution to the impending musculoskeletal care supply shortage. This American Orthopaedic Association (AOA) symposium report investigates models for advanced practice provider integration, considers key issues affecting PAs and NPs, and proposes guidelines to help to assess the logistical and educational possibilities of further incorporating NPs and PAs into the orthopaedic workforce in order to address future musculoskeletal care needs.
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts cday11@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Charles S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Day
authors.affiliation: Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Scott D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Boden
authors.affiliation: Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Patrick T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Knott
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program of Nursing, George Washington University, Washington, DC.
authors.forename: Nancy C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: O'Rourke
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Brian W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D006280:Health Workforce; D006801:Humans; D009722:Nurse Practitioners; D009985:Orthopedics; D010823:Physician Assistants; D014481:United States