A team is an integrated group of people that work together to help each other. In the health care world, that means a team of physicians and nurses but also allied health professionals like pharmacy technicians, community health workers and medical assistants.
Among the allied health professions, physician assistants (PAs) are an important addition to the primary care team. They conduct patient exams, order lab tests, make diagnoses and treat certain conditions.
They may also collaborate with doctors and nurses as needed.
Their role within the teamlet model is to act as a liaison between the primary care physician and their patients; advocate for them through cultural brokering and help them navigate the health care system.
To optimize patient care and job satisfaction, nonlicensed allied health workers participating in collaborative teams should be strongly motivated to assume these expanded roles. They should also be provided protected time to carry out their responsibilities and maximize their effectiveness.