Narrative Review of Evidence for High-Quality Physician Associate Care in the United Kingdom

ABSTRACT Objective: The purpose of this narrative review is to examine the high-quality, evidence-based literature that demonstrates the safety of healthcare provided by physician assistants (PAs) in the US and other countries. Evidence for safe healthcare that PAs provide may be referred to as the United Kingdom’s (UK) Physician Associate model of healthcare is developed, expanded, and regulated. Background: Currently the UK’s PAs are an unregulated profession, meaning there are no governmental laws recognizing what PAs are allowed to do. Evidence that supports or refutes that PAs can provide high-quality healthcare may help to develop the PA profession in the UK. Methods: A literature search of Medline and Embase databases of thesaurus terms to include any primary care, surgical service, or secondary care revealed twenty-one quality peer-reviewed studies showing evidence that PAs provide safe quality care. Results: All reviewed US and international studies concluded that PAs provide safe and effective care in both primary care and inpatient studies. Conclusion: Studies from the US and other countries that incorporate PAs into their healthcare model, show that PAs provide safe and effective healthcare. Policymakers and healthcare regulators in the UK may apply this evidence that PAs provide safe and effective healthcare to develop regulations for the PA profession in the UK. Keywords: Physician Associate, Patient Safety, Quality Car