title: Using PAs in prehospital environments to reduce ED and EMS overuse.
abstract: Emergency medical services (EMS) and EDs in large cities are burdened with a significant number of patients with chronic disease who have limited options for receiving proper care. Despite their relatively small numbers, these "superusers" can have a significant effect on EMS, particularly in large cities. Additionally, EDs are not designed to provide chronic and continuous healthcare. This article describes how several organizations use physician assistants to manage these patients.
authors.affiliation: At the time this article was written, Katherine M. Thompson was a student in the University of Washington's MEDEX program in Seattle, Wash. She is now an employee of Valley Emergency Physicians and practices in the ED at California Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles, Calif. William L. Tozier is a faculty advisor for the University of Washington's MEDEX program. The authors have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.
authors.forename: Katherine M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: William L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Tozier
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000628:therapy; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006300:Health Services Misuse / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010823:Physician Assistants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D014481:United States