The physician assistants at Townsville University Hospitals' (TUH) Emergency Department (ED) help support doctors and facilitate a smooth patient experience. They are particularly helpful for Category 3 and 4 patients to expedite patient care. Townsville University Hospital has three full time positions for physician assistants.
The role of a physician assistant provides an alternate workforce option for emergency departments:
• a physician assistant is a clinician working as a member of a multidisciplinary team under the delegation and supervision of a medical practitioner
• an individual physician assistant's scope of practice is determined by the supervising medical practitioner (within the supervisor’s credentialing and scope of practice) and defined in an approved practice plan
• qualifications are verified and the scope of practice is endorsed by a medical credentialing committee and approved by the Hospital and Health Service (HHS) delegate
• the role can specialise in emergency care as determined by the scope of clinical practice of the supervising medical practitioner
• the role should fall under the governance of the emergency department director.
