Data Report: 2016 Indiana Physician Assistant Licensure Survey

Abstract

Identifying supply and distribution of the Physician Assistant (PA) workforce is crucial in understanding the capacity to meet health needs and improve overall population health of Indiana citizens. Data presented in this report provide a snapshot of key demographic and practice characteristics for Indiana’s PA workforce. The 2016 Indiana Physician Assistant Data Report presents information derived from data collected from the PA re-licensure survey administered by the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (IPLA) during the biennial license renewal period. In 2016 1,346 PAs renewed their professional licenses. Of these, 806 reported having a verified Indiana practice address and are included in this report. The greatest number of PAs report practicing in Marion County and Allen County yet over one-third of Indiana counties (37.0%) do not have any reported PA full-time equivalents (FTE). As with other health workforce professions, the greatest need for PAs exists in rural, less populous counties; over three-quarters (79.4%) of those counties absent PA professionals are designated as rural. This report details important demographic and practice characteristics for the PA workforce, examining these data specifically in relation to PA supply and distribution. The 2016 Indiana Physician Assistant Data Report provides stakeholders with information needed to improve the quality of and accessibility to primary care for Indiana residents through policymaking, workforce development and resource allocation.