The changing marketplace for medical care

The rapid growth of HMOs, PPOs, and large medical groups; the shift to DRGs for hospital payments; the expected use of DRG payments for physician care; and a projected oversupply of physicians promise to keep competition for primary care dollars on the rise. As this competition intensifies, the role of physician assistants in the health care system may change--cost realities should step up the value of PAs in the care delivery system. To take full advantage of the new environment. PAs must understand just how the shifting health care marketplace will affect their profession.