Physician associates in secondary care
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigating the contribution of physician associates (PAs) to secondary care in England: comparative case studies
IRAS ID
181193
Contact name
Vari M Drennan
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Kingston University/St Georges University of London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
This study aims to investigate the contribution and impact of including physician associates (PAs formerly known as physician assistants) to medical teams on the organisation and delivery of patient care in hospitals in England. Increasing numbers of hospitals in England are employing PAs in a widening range of medical and surgical specialties. We will undertake case studies in four different types of hospitals each employing between 4 and 20 PAs in different specialties. These case studies include a) interviews with patients, managers, team and service members, b) analysis of routine management data and reports, c) observation of PAs at work and PA diaries of their activities, and d) a comparative analysis of patient outcomes and costs between consultations with PAs and doctors in the minors section of the emergency department.
REC name
London - Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/LO/1339
Date of REC Opinion
21 Oct 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion