The New Zealand Resident Doctors’ Association is urging patients and whānau to understand the difference between doctors and physician associates following the formal regulation of physician associates as a healthcare workforce in Aotearoa.
The NZRDA says physician associates will be regulated by the Medical Council, but stresses they are not medical practitioners and do not have medical degrees or the same training as doctors. NZRDA Media Release – NZRDA urg…
NZRDA National Secretary Dr Deborah Powell says clear identification and informed consent will be critical as the workforce becomes established within New Zealand’s health system.
The association points to overseas cases where it says confusion about the physician associate role has contributed to patient harm, including instances where patients or their families believed they were being treated by a doctor. NZRDA Media Release – NZRDA urg…
The NZRDA is encouraging patients to ask directly whether the person treating them is a doctor if they are unsure. It says patients also retain the right to ask to see a doctor. NZRDA Media Release – NZRDA urg…
The association says patient safety and transparency must remain central as physician associates become part of the regulated health workforce.
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