The Cardiac Surgery Advanced Practice Group: A Case Study of APN and PA Collaborative Practice

In the United States, more than 600,000 surgeries for cardiac disease are performed annually, accounting for millions of dollars in health care expenses. The rise in patient acuity levels from comorbid factors is contributing to these costs. In a health care reform environment, the challenges to the health care system are to maintain quality of care and provide advanced therapies while decreasing the costs associated with that care. Advanced practice nurses (APNs) and physician assistants (PAs) are able to work with multidisciplinary groups to provide comprehensive care and decrease costs. The purpose of this article is to explore the evolution of the role of the APN and PA in an acute care setting. The origins and benefits of this role and future for this model are addressed.