Determining the cost-effectiveness of the Registered Nurse First Assistant: the research link

As monetary constraints in health care increase, stakeholders search for avenues to ensure cost-effective care provision. In the perioperative environment one such avenue involves the group of health care providers supporting surgeons and patients during surgery--the surgical assistant. In Canada, general practice physicians predominantly fill this role. Another viable option promoted as a cost-effective alternative to the physician assistant is the Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA). The relationship between RNFA cost-effectiveness and role implementation and reimbursement is explored in this article. The importance of formally determining the cost-effectiveness of the RNFA through the utilization and development of research is presented.