PAs in psychiatry: filling the gap.

Unlike other clinical areas, psychiatry reports critical shortages in the availability of trained specialists. This article reports on the utilization of PAs in a state mental hospital. The clinical role of the PA is described. In state hospitals, the number of patients and patient-care episodes per psychiatrist is very high, especially in comparison to the situation at private psychiatric hospitals. The addition of PAs to the staff at this institution has significantly increased the time that psychiatrists have in which to plan and implement treatment, enabling the institution to remain open. The other clinical disciplines showed a high degree of acceptance of the PAs in this setting. The report therefore concludes that psychiatry is a promising area for employment of PAs, now and in the future.