The Most Common Administrative Tasks for PAs | The Posh PA

Summary

This video script discusses the administrative duties of Physician Assistants (PAs), which often extend beyond clinical responsibilities. It highlights the importance of accurate documentation in electronic medical records, patient communication, consulting with other specialties, and managing medication refills. The speaker also touches on dealing with insurance companies for authorizations and the balance needed between clinical and administrative tasks. The overview emphasizes the varied nature of PA work, including the potential for frustration with administrative overload and the joy of patient education.

Takeaways

• 📝 Documentation is a crucial administrative task for Physician Assistants (PAs), involving charting notes and using electronic medical records systems.
• 💻 The choice between dictation and typing for charting depends on personal efficiency, with some PAs preferring to type due to speed.
• 🔍 PAs must document all patient interactions, including phone consultations, to ensure continuity of care and accurate medical records.
• 📧 Communication through the electronic medical records system is essential, avoiding the use of personal emails for patient correspondence.
• 💊 Administrative duties include managing medication refills, educating patients on their prescriptions, and documenting these interactions.
• 📞 PAs often field calls from patients, providing advice and answering questions post-appointment or hospital discharge.
• 🏥 Interacting with insurance companies for authorization of tests and handling prior authorizations is part of some PAs' responsibilities.
• 👩‍⚕️ Balancing clinical and administrative tasks is vital; if administrative work dominates, it may indicate a need for reassessment of workload distribution.
• 📈 Following up on test results and notifying patients are part of the ongoing administrative and clinical responsibilities of PAs.
• 👨‍🏫 Medical education, such as teaching patients about their medications and expected reactions, is a significant aspect of a PA's role, with associated documentation.
• 📈 Administrative responsibilities are common across healthcare professions, not limited to PAs, and include documentation, billing, and patient care continuity.

Q & A

What are some common administrative tasks that Physician Assistants (PAs) may be required to perform?

Common administrative tasks for PAs include documentation in electronic medical records, charting progress notes, handling patient phone calls and emails, consulting with other specialties, placing orders for medications and referrals, refilling medication prescriptions, and dealing with insurance companies for authorizations.

Why is documentation so important for PAs?

Documentation is crucial for ensuring continuity and continuation of care for patients. It allows for accurate record-keeping of what was seen and done for each patient, which is essential for follow-up care and communication among healthcare providers.

How has the shift to electronic medical records impacted the way PAs document their work?

The shift to electronic medical records has standardized the documentation process across healthcare settings. PAs must learn to use these systems to accurately document patient interactions, progress notes, and other necessary information.

What are some variations in how PAs might document their patient interactions?

Some programs use dictation systems for documentation, while others require typing. The method a PA chooses depends on their efficiency and preference, whether they type faster or are more comfortable dictating.

Why is it important for PAs to document phone interactions with patients?

Documenting phone interactions ensures that there is a record of any advice given, prescriptions made, or other medical decisions taken during the call. This is important for maintaining patient care continuity and for legal purposes.

How do PAs handle patient inquiries and advice requests outside of face-to-face consultations?

PAs handle such inquiries by responding to emails through the electronic medical records system, answering phone calls, and providing advice based on the patient's condition and needs. It's important to document these interactions for the patient's medical record.

What is the role of PAs in dealing with insurance companies regarding authorizations?

PAs may need to contact insurance companies to obtain authorizations for certain tests or treatments. This can involve peer-to-peer conversations with medical directors to make a case for the necessity of the ordered tests or treatments.

How can PAs balance their clinical responsibilities with administrative tasks?

PAs should ensure they are not spending more time on administrative work than on their clinical practice. If they find themselves out of balance, they should communicate with their team or administration to adjust their workload or responsibilities.

What are some administrative tasks that PAs might perform in relation to medication management?

PAs may be responsible for approving medication refills, educating patients on their medications, and documenting these interactions in the medical record. They also need to follow up on medication orders and test results.

How does the administrative workload of a PA compare to other healthcare professionals?

All roles in healthcare have some level of administrative responsibility, including documentation and billing. However, the extent of these tasks can vary depending on the specific role and practice setting.

What additional administrative responsibilities might PAs have in specialized fields like oncology?

In specialized fields like oncology, PAs may have additional responsibilities such as medical education, teaching patients about their treatments and medications, and documenting these educational sessions.

Outlines

00:00

📝 Administrative Tasks for Physician Assistants

The first paragraph discusses the administrative responsibilities of a Physician Assistant (PA), which are crucial but can vary significantly depending on the practice setting. The speaker emphasizes the importance of documentation in electronic medical records, which is a fundamental task for ensuring continuity of care. They also mention the use of dictation systems versus typing, highlighting the need to choose the most efficient method. Other administrative duties include responding to patient emails, phone calls, consulting with other specialties, placing orders for medications and referrals, and refilling medications. The paragraph also touches on the potential frustration of dealing with insurance companies for authorizations and the importance of maintaining a balance between clinical and administrative work.

05:01

🔄 Balancing Clinical and Administrative Roles in Healthcare

The second paragraph continues the discussion on the administrative side of being a PA, focusing on the balance between clinical and administrative tasks. It acknowledges that certain tasks like documentation, phone calls, and patient advice are inherent to the profession. The speaker also addresses the potential frustration that PAs might feel when dealing with tasks such as medication refills and prior authorizations, which can be time-consuming. The paragraph highlights the importance of minimizing these tasks to maintain a balance with clinical responsibilities. Additionally, it mentions the role of PAs in medical education, particularly in oncology, where teaching patients about their treatments is a significant part of the job, even though it involves administrative documentation. The speaker concludes by stating that every role in healthcare has some level of administrative responsibility, and that while there may be variations in the extent of these tasks, they are an unavoidable part of clinical practice.

Keywords

💡Clinical Duties

Clinical duties refer to the direct patient care responsibilities that healthcare professionals, such as Physician Assistants (PAs), perform. In the video, it is mentioned that these duties are distinct from administrative tasks but equally important. The script emphasizes the need for balance between clinical and administrative work, highlighting that spending too much time on administrative tasks can lead to an imbalance.

💡Administrative Tasks

Administrative tasks encompass the non-clinical responsibilities that healthcare providers must perform, such as documentation and communication with insurance companies. The script discusses various administrative tasks that PAs might encounter, including charting in electronic medical records, responding to patient emails, and dealing with prior authorizations.

💡Electronic Medical Records (EMR)

Electronic Medical Records are digital versions of patients' paper charts that contain all of the medical information about a patient's medical history, diagnoses, medications, treatment plans, immunization dates, and test results. The script mentions that almost all practices have transitioned to EMR systems, which PAs must learn to use for accurate documentation.

💡Documentation

Documentation in healthcare refers to the process of recording patient information, medical history, treatment provided, and other relevant details in the medical record. The script highlights the importance of documentation for ensuring continuity of care and mentions that it is a significant part of a PA's administrative responsibilities.

💡Dictation Systems

Dictation systems are tools used in healthcare to convert spoken words into written text for documentation purposes. The script notes that some programs use dictation systems, while others prefer typing, indicating that the choice depends on the individual's efficiency and preference.

💡Continuity of Care

Continuity of care is the idea of providing consistent healthcare over time to a patient, which includes the coordination of care among different providers and settings. The script emphasizes the role of accurate documentation in ensuring continuity of care for patients.

💡Consultations

Consultations in healthcare involve seeking advice or a second opinion from another healthcare professional about a patient's diagnosis or treatment. The script mentions that PAs may need to consult with other specialties and place orders for patients, which is part of their administrative and clinical responsibilities.

💡Medication Refills

Medication refills refer to the process of providing additional supplies of a medication to a patient after their initial prescription has been used up. The script discusses the administrative task of approving medication refills and educating patients about their medications.

💡Insurance Companies

Insurance companies play a significant role in healthcare by providing coverage for medical services and treatments. The script describes the need for PAs to interact with insurance companies for authorizations and prior authorizations, which can be time-consuming and frustrating.

💡Prior Authorizations

Prior authorizations are required by some insurance companies before they will cover the cost of certain medications, tests, or procedures. The script mentions that PAs may be asked to assist with prior authorizations, which involves paperwork and communication with insurance providers.

💡Balance

Balance in the context of the video refers to the equilibrium between clinical and administrative responsibilities that a PA should maintain. The script warns against spending too much time on administrative work at the expense of clinical practice, suggesting that this could indicate an imbalance.

💡Medical Education

Medical education in this context refers to the process of informing and teaching patients about their medical conditions, treatments, and medications. The script highlights the role of PAs in educating patients, particularly in oncology, which involves significant documentation and patient interaction.

Highlights

Administrative tasks are an important part of a Physician Assistant's (PA) role, in addition to clinical duties.

Documentation is a key administrative responsibility, including charting notes in electronic medical records systems.

PA's must accurately document patient interactions to ensure continuity of care.

Some practices use dictation systems while others prefer typing for documentation.

Documenting phone consultations and medication prescriptions is also crucial for patient care.

PA's need to manage patient emails and phone calls through the medical records system, not personal email.

Consulting with other specialties and placing orders for medications and referrals are part of a PA's administrative tasks.

Refilling medications and educating patients about their prescriptions is essential.

Handling insurance authorizations and dealing with insurance companies can be time-consuming.

PA's may assist with prior authorizations for medications and imaging studies, depending on the practice.

A balance between clinical and administrative responsibilities is important for PA's to avoid being overwhelmed.

Following up on test results and notifying patients is a part of a PA's administrative duties.

Medical education, such as teaching patients about their medications, is a significant aspect of a PA's role.

Administrative documentation is necessary after patient-facing interactions.

All healthcare roles have some level of administrative responsibility, including documentation and billing.

Research and clinical trials may involve additional administrative tasks for PA's.

The speaker offers to create a separate video on billing and productivity for PA's if there is interest.

This video provides a general overview of the administrative responsibilities of a PA.

Transcripts

foreign

part of being a PA and that is more of

the administrative tasks that sometimes

we're required to do depending on your

practice setting but I think it's an

important topic to talk about because

outside of our clinical duties there are

administrative tasks that need to be

completed so let's talk a little bit

about what those look like

but if you haven't already hit that

subscribe button you know I'm here every

week dropping tips and tricks to help

you on your journey to PA school and

well beyond into practice

okay so let's talk about some of the

administrative duties that Pas can have

this is going to vary pretty

significantly depending on your practice

setting and the way that your group

works so take into consideration that

you may be asked to do some of these

tasks but not all of these tasks in your

practice so the first thing that we all

have to do as clinicians is

documentation it can be the bane of our

existence but we have to document what

we saw and did for the patient every day

and that includes charting our notes in

an electronic medical records system

pretty much everywhere has changed over

to an electronic medical record system

at this point so really it's about

learning that medical record system and

being able to accurately document

your progress notes your new patient

notes and all of that into the chart

some programs use dictation systems

others type in my office some people

dictate I like to type because I'm fast

at that so it really just depends on

what you're more efficient at doing

um that really will determine how you

decide to chart now yes we have to chart

on every single person that we saw and

sometimes we have to chart on people

that we spoke to over the phone right if

you're prescribing something to somebody

over the phone after their appointment

you definitely want to document that

that's happened okay so documentation is

a really big part of the administrative

responsibilities of a PA because we have

to make sure that we're ensuring

continuity and continuation of care for

the patient with accurate documentation

in the medical record so that may

include also emails from patients

through the electronical medical records

system never through your personal email

okay so answering those inbox messages

patient phone calls

Consulting with other Specialties as

needed placing orders you know for

patients whether that's medication

orders

whether that's referrals to other

Physicians you know really filling out

that information that they need to

ensure that continuity of care you know

asking for consults for different

patients for different reasons those are

all part of the administrative and

day-to-day tasks of Pas that's outside

of your you know one-on-one interactions

with patients there are also some things

that we need to do like refill

medications approve medication refills

okay make sure that we're educating

patients on the medications that they're

taking and so that they have a good idea

of what the prescription is what it is

for and how they're going to fill it and

then making sure we document that in the

medical record Fielding calls you know

from patients who have left the office

or left the hospital and just being able

to answer their questions those are more

administrative tasks you know really

sitting down and being being able to

answer those phone calls and answer

those advice requests

um is a part of of our duties also

sometimes we are asked to deal with

insurance companies so a lot of times

um here in the United States we have

insurance providers that have to approve

certain tests that we order and

sometimes they don't approve them and we

need to get on the phone with the

insurance companies and do what they

call a peer-to-peer authorization and

that can take up a lot of time because

you have to wait on hold and you have to

get to the right person and you need to

speak to a medical director and really

make your case of why you're ordering

this test for this person

okay so that can also be a

responsibility along with paperwork such

as FMLA or prior authorizations but in

my practice currently we have um it's

set up that we do not do prior

authorizations but in others Pas do help

with prior authorizations for

medications and for Imaging studies okay

so it really depends on your practice

environment how much of that you might

be asked to do all right what you don't

want as a PA is to be spending more of

your time on administrative work than

you are in your clinical practice if

that is happening you are out of balance

okay and need to talk to your your team

your practice your Administration and

really kind of tell them hey you know

I'm spending this much time

you know doing administrative work I

need some administrative time and or you

you know maybe this isn't the right you

use of my time or my skills and so yes

there are some things that come with the

territory like documentation and phone

calls and patient advice and all of that

but sometimes these other things like

refills or prior author peer-to-peers

can really you know

get frustrating you know for Pas in

their practice and so we really try to

minimize that as much as possible so we

can have more of that balance between

between our clinical responsibilities

and our administrative responsibilities

now remember we're also ordering tests

we need to follow up on those results we

need to notify people of their results

um and a large part of my job

particularly at oncology is a medical

education so you want to be teaching

people about the drugs that they're

going to get and so there's

documentation involved in that as well

to me I love that part of my job I love

teaching you know patients what

medicines they're going to get how they

might react what to expect all of those

things but it does take a lot of time

but it is patient facing so it's not

really a lot of administrative work but

once you leave the room there is

Administrative documentation to be done

on the back end now are there

professions that have less or more

administrative responsibilities in

healthcare I'm gonna say probably not

okay everybody every single role in

healthcare has an administrative

responsibility because we have to do

documentation we have to do billing we

have to be responsible for the the paper

I guess continuity of care of patients

okay so there's always going to be some

administrative tasks associated with a

clinical practice that's just the way it

is you know in certain practices you may

also have research and clinical trials

and things like that in which case

there's a lot more paperwork but

typically there is a research team

that's designated to do that

um and we need to be signing off on

certain things so those are just kind of

some of the administrative

responsibilities you you can be asked to

do you might be asked to do billing is a

whole separate video if you want me to

talk about uh billing you know as a PA I

could certainly do that drop it in the

comments and I can talk to you about

billing and rvu and productivity

um I've I was a manager for a while so I

have an idea of what all of that is like

um so if you wanted a video on that I

could do that too but here I just wanted

to give you sort of a general overview

of what some of the administrative tests

are for PA so I hope you found it

helpful and I'll see you next time

thank you