PAs

Patients back GP assistants for injury care

THE vast majority of patients are more than willing to have injuries treated by physician’s assistants (PAs), new Australian research has revealed. In a study of 225 Queensland patients, researchers proposed three different scenarios in which patients could choose to see a physician’s assistant in one hour, or wait four hours to see a fully qualified doctor.  Ninety-nine per cent of patients selected treatment by a PA – even when the waiting time difference was reduced from three hours to one. Just two patients surveyed were willing to wait longer for a doctor. Hypothetical scenarios included ...