Final answer:
There is ongoing debate about the role of primary care doctors versus nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants argue that they can provide a significant portion of primary care services at a lower cost. Eliminating statutes limiting physician assistants' activities could increase competition in the physician services market.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the healthcare industry, there has been ongoing debate about the distribution of responsibility between primary care doctors, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. Many argue that nurse practitioners and physician assistants should be utilized more effectively to alleviate the burden on primary care doctors.
Physician assistants have long argued that they have the ability to provide a significant portion of the medical services offered by primary care physicians at a lower cost. However, government regulations currently limit their ability to work independently without direct supervision from physicians.
If all statutes limiting the activities of physician assistants were eliminated, it would likely increase the level of competition in the physician services market. With more autonomy, physician assistants could provide a wider range of services, increasing accessibility and potentially reducing costs for patients.