What is a PA Surgical First Assistant?
A PA Surgical First Assistant is a highly skilled medical professional specifically trained to assist in surgical procedures to help ensure the safety and the best possible outcome for the patient. Assistants offer hands-on assistance to the surgeon during the procedure, such as suturing, graft preparation, retraction, etc. Having that extra set of expert hands in the operating room means that you are getting top-notch medical care while reducing the time you are under anesthesia. PA First Assists are not the same as Surgical Technicians also known as scrub techs. They are Physician Assistants that are highly educated, trained and Board Certified to practice medicine. They are an extension of the surgeon in the operating room.
Who determines if an Assistant at Surgery is utilized?
Once your surgical procedure and medical history were reviewed, your surgeon determined that an Assistant was medically necessary for your safety and well-being. The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has determined that assistant surgeon services are required for the successful completion of certain surgical procedures that have been identified as sufficiently complex or intensive.
Why am I getting a bill?
PA First Assistants are not employees of your surgeon. They are provided through SurgAssist and has worked closely with the surgeon on multiple cases. SurgAssist will bill your insurance company for their services separately from your surgeon. PA First Assistants may not be covered by your insurance carrier for several reasons, even if they are medically needed for the best outcome and safety of the surgery. If the insurance carrier does not cover the First Assistants, the patient will be responsible for the charges. We are constantly working with the insurances to get covered for all cases.
Why didn’t my surgeon tell me he was going to use an Assistant?
For your safety and optimal procedure outcome, your surgeon may decide there is need for certain services or providers to be involved in your care. As with many other technical issues involved with the surgical procedure, the surgeon may or may not have discussed these aspects with you prior to your surgery. Some surgeons do not wish to burden their patients with excessive information for their patient’s impending surgery and recovery. Your surgeon also made many similar pre-operative decisions, such as choices of anesthesia, type of instruments, medical supplies or surgical implants to use, etc.
Why do I have to pay for the Surgical Assistant’s services when I did not authorize it? Since my surgeon asked the Assistant to provide services, shouldn’t my surgeon pay for it?
When you selected your surgeon, you relied upon his or her good judgment and skill to make decisions that were in the best interests of your health and well-being. There are many decisions that your surgeon made on your behalf in the process leading up to your surgery. After thoroughly reviewing your medical history and the surgical procedure that was to be performed, your surgeon determined that it is necessary for the best and safest possible outcome for your surgery to have a Surgical Assistant present during your surgery. The hospital policy regarding services are stated on the surgical consent form.
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