Patient satisfaction with PAs in the Netherlands.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare research
• Primary care medicine
• Patient satisfaction studies

Background:

• Physician assistants (PAs) were implemented in the Netherlands in 2002 and are now common.
• Limited data exists on patient satisfaction with PAs in the Dutch primary care context.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare patient satisfaction with care provided by physician assistants (PAs) versus general practitioners (GPs).
• To evaluate quality of performance indicators including satisfaction, treatment effectiveness, and safety.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study surveyed patients in primary care settings.
• The Consumer Quality Index, a European quality survey instrument, was utilized.
• Patient satisfaction, treatment effectiveness, and safety were key performance indicators.

Main Results:

• Few significant differences were observed in patient satisfaction between PAs and GPs.
• Dutch patients expressed comparable satisfaction levels with care from both PAs and GPs.
• Effectiveness and safety of treatment also showed minimal divergence.

Conclusions:

• Dutch patients are equally satisfied with the care provided by physician assistants and general practitioners.
• PAs are a well-accepted and effective component of the Dutch primary care system.
• Further research can explore specific aspects of PA-led care and patient outcomes.