health-neuroscience-2019-keynote

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allied
academies
April 08-09, 2019 | Zurich, Switzerland
Health Care and Neuroscience
International Conference on
Page 13
Journal of Public Health Policy and Planning | Volume 3
The Physician Assistant is a healthcare professional
licensed to practice medicine across all medical
specialties. Introduced into the Dutch Healthcare
System in 2003, he or she is trained to medically
diagnose a broad range of conditions, order diagnostic
tests, execute medical procedures and prescribe
medicine.
The reasons why PAs were considered for The
Netherlands are:
• A growing demand for healthcare due in large
part to a growing number of patients and the
rise in
• Co-morbidity
• An aging population
• Decreasing number of postgraduate physicians
in training Increasing patient expectations
• Emerging technologies and treatment
opportunities
As the Dutch PA movement grew the government
introduced various policies to enhance their
development. Today the PA has full practice authority,
is regulated by law, and answers to the same medical
discipline-board as physicians. Insurance companies
reimburse PA roles and activities to the hospital
employer. In 2018 there were 1200 graduate PAs
working clinically. Applicant requirements include
a bachelor’s degree in healthcare, at least two
years of experience with direct patient care, and an
employment contract as a student with a healthcare
institution. Enrollment in 2019 is 250 students in
five universities and growth is anticipated. Various
studies have consistently shown that the quality
of PAs compares favorably with physicians. Patient
satisfaction is high; the quality of medical treatment
is the same, including prescribing, and the care meets
the requirements of safety and cost effectiveness.
Clinically active PAs are satisfied with their role and
place in society. As the supply of PAs grows the Dutch
healthcare system will need to assess how their
utilization can be further enhanced.
Speaker Biography
Geert van den Brink is director of the PA education program at the
HAN University of applied sciences. He has been involved with the
development of the PA since 2002. He completed his MSc in Health
sciences at the University Maastricht in 2001. Since 2006 he has chaired
the national board of Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistants in
the Netherlands. He is completing his doctoral degree evaluating
the employment economics of Nurse Practitioners and the Physician
Assistants in the Netherlands.
e:
Geert van den Brink
HAN University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands
The physician assistant in The Netherlands
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