Physician assistants reduce resident workload and improve care in an academic surgical setting

Publié le 09 février 2017 • Catégorie(s) : Conditions de travail et santé psychologique • Mot(s) clef(s) : médecins, surmenage professionnel

Auteur       Natalie Dies
Auteur       Saira Rashid
Auteur       Maureen Shandling
Auteur       Carol Swallow
Auteur       Alexandra M. Easson
Auteur       Erin Kennedy
Volume       29
Numéro       2
Pages       41-46
Publication       JAAPA: official journal of the American Academy of Physician       Assistants
ISSN       1547-1896
Date       Feb 2016
Résumé       OBJECTIVES: Educational demands coupled with restricted hours reduce residents’ availability to provide care at academic hospitals. Physician assistants (PAs) may address this issue. This study assessed the effect of PAs on patient discharges, resident workload, and resident perceptions of PAs on a surgical team. METHODS: Two PAs were employed on teams caring for complex surgical patients. Measures included time of discharge order entry, hours residents spent on the electronic medical record (EMR), and resident opinions of PA effectiveness. RESULTS: The teams with PAs had a 0.5% late discharge and 16% early discharge rate. Junior residents with a PA on the team spent fewer hours on the EMR. Residents reported PAs significantly improved their rotation and quality care. CONCLUSIONS: PAs reduce resident workload and improve care on surgical teams in a tertiary hospital.