Patients' Acceptance of Physician's Assistants

Patients of physicians using physician's assistants in their practices were surveyed to determine attitudes toward these assistants. Fifty-four percent of the patients responded and 12% of the nonrespondents were interviewed to insure that respondents were representative of the sample. Patients rate the physician's assistants highly in terms of technical competence (89%), professional manner (86%), and report improvements in the quality of care (71%) and access to services (79%), since the physician's assistants began working. Eighty-seven percent of the patients who received physical examinations from physician's assistants were very satisfied. Patient's age, social class, and access to medical services are significantly related to certain attitudes toward physician's assistants.(JAMA 228:63-67, 1974)