Training and Utilization of Physician Assistants to Increase Availability of Ultrasound Guided Musculoskeletal Injections
Monday, April 8, 2024
2:56pm – 3:03pm
Location: 410
Authors: Dan Strat, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center Cristy French, Penn State Hershey Medical Center Eric A Walker, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center Jonelle Thomas, Penn State Hershey Medical Center
The addition of physician supervised advanced practice providers (APP) to an ultrasound guided musculoskeletal injection clinic can improve patient access, augment procedure volume, and maximize the clinic efficiency. After a 12-month training period and implementation of APPs, in addition to improving scheduling availability, our institution’s clinic procedure volume expanded over 300% and recovered 187 hours of attending radiologist clinical reading room time. The integrity of the institution’s educational mission was maintained and no change of immediate post-operative complications was observed. Utilization of APPs has greatly expanded our institution’s ultrasound guided musculoskeletal injection capabilities.