New Choices in Medical Professionals

Choosing a medical professional today can be overwhelming. With medical specialties diversifying daily, options for receiving health care are increasing, as are the different types of health care providers.

This article takes a look at the two fastest growing health care providers—doctors of osteopathy and physician assistants.

Osteopathic medicine
Unlike doctors of allopathy (MDs), doctors of osteopathy (DOs) believe that the best way to fight disease is to naturally stimulate the body’s immune system. DOs are licensed medical doctors authorized to prescribe medications and perform surgery, as well as practice preventative medicine and provide referrals.

Osteopathic physicians utilize all of the recognized procedures and technologies for diagnosis and treatment as MDs do. They also subscribe to noninvasive treatments such as herbal medicine and acupuncture to optimize a patient’s mental and emotional health, meet nutritional needs, handle career demands, sanitize home environments and manage other factors affecting health.

In addition, DOs are specially trained to use a noninvasive system of medicine called osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) to diagnose, treat and prevent illnesses. OMT is often used as an alternative to therapies involving drugs or surgery.

Osteopathic doctors believe that the body’s musculoskeletal system is central to a person’s well being and works with all of the body’s organs by responding each time a breath is drawn or the body moves.

Physician assistants
Another rapidly growing group of health professionals are physician assistants (PAs), who practice under the supervision of a licensed physician. Although they cannot handle some cases, they can perform physical exams, counsel and educate patients, diagnose and treat illnesses, suture wounds and assist in surgery. PAs can also prescribe medications in most states, and they can facilitate referrals to local health care and social service agencies.

PAs usually bill at lower rates than MDs, and they can perform up to 80% of the functions of a physician. It is also often easier to arrange an appointment with a PA. State Medicaid and most private insurance companies cover services provided by PAs.