An Ontario physician is urging the New Brunswick government to begin allowing physician assistants to work in the province's emergency rooms after a similar initiative in that province has been an "unqualified success."

New Brunswick's Department of Health committee recommended a year ago that the government could save money and cut wait times if the health professionals were added.

While New Brunswick hospitals are still months away from seeing physician assistants, Ontario has been using physician assistants for about three years.

Dr. Chris Loreto, the medical director for emergency room and critical care at the Timmins and District Hospital, said he was skeptical about the idea of bringing physician assistants into his emergency room.

However, Loreto said the experiment has been "an unequivocal, unqualified success."

"At that time, I wanted more docs. I didn't need sort of quasi-health care providers, I wanted more physicians," Loreto said.

"It's worked amazing for us."

But three years later, Loreto said the introduction of physician assistants has helped reduce patient wait times and staff stress levels.

Andrew Morrison, a spokesperson with the Ontario Ministry of Health, said the Timmins experience is being seen right across the province.

There are now more than 70 PAs now working in emergency rooms, community health centres, primary care settings and nursing homes and about 20 more expected to be hired soon.

Doctors supportive

Physician assistants have a two-year degree and can provide a range of tasks from doing sutures and casts to conducting patient histories and physicals to ordering and interpreting tests.

Former health minister Michael Murphy said in April 2009 that physician assistants would be working in some of the province's understaffed emergency departments by now. Health Minister Mary Schryer said last week that it would take at least several more months before these physician assistants enter any emergency rooms.

U.S. and Canadian military forces have used physician assistants for years. More recently, Manitoba and Ontario have also started using these health workers.

Dr. Chris Losier, an emergency room physician at The Moncton Hospital and president of the New Brunswick Medical Society, said he supports the idea of introducing physician assistants.

And he said he is willing to work collaboratively with these new health-care professionals.

"That we don't want to get lost in this is that, this doesn't replace physicians," Losier said.

"So we don't want government or the public to take their eye off the ball with regard to the fact that we do have a shortage of physicians in the province."