RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Patients' perspective of physician associates in an acute medical unit within an English district general teaching hospital – a pilot survey study
JF Future Healthcare Journal
JO Future Healthc J
FD Royal College of Physicians
SP 213
OP 217
DO 10.7861/futurehosp.5-3-213
VO 5
IS 3
A1 Qazi Zaman
A1 Suren Yogamoorthy
A1 Momina Zaman
A1 Ragai Mohammed Fikry Ragai Fouda
YR 2018
UL http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/5/3/213.abstract
AB Physician associates (PAs) are valuable members of the ­medical team. However, few data are available concerning their role and contributions in acute settings from the perspective of patients. The current study explored patients’ acceptance of the role of PAs in the NHS. A questionnaire was distributed to 100 patients who were under care of PAs in the acute ­medical unit (AMU) of George Eliot Hospital. The questionnaire explored previous exposure to PAs, satisfaction in PA’s attitude and knowledge, PA value to NHS and overall satisfaction in PA profession. Fifty women (58.1%) and 36 men (41.9%) with a mean age of 74.75 ± 10 years participated in the study. Most of the survey responders stated that the attitudes, professionalism and medical knowledge of PAs were good or very good and nearly all of respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with the role of PAs in the NHS. This pilot questionnaire survey study in the AMU of an English district general teaching hospital showed that most study participants valued the role of PAs in the NHS.