Medical Staff

Hospitalists and PAs save more lives than residents, new study says

Hospitalist Leadership Connection, March 3, 2009

At Coney Island Hospital, hospitalists and physician assistants (PAs) replaced medical residents for two years to measure patient outcomes. Researchers evaluated mortality rates, adverse events, readmissions, and patient satisfaction. They found that the quality of care provided by hospitalists and PAs was similar to that provided by residents. However, mortality rates were significantly lower on the hospitalist-PA service compared to the resident service, according to “Replacing an Academic Internal Medicine Residency Program with a Physician Assistant-Hospitalist Model: A Comparative Analysis Study,” published in the February issue of American Journal of Medical Quality. The study included the following comparison data:

  • The hospitalist-PA service morality rate was 1.94%, compared to 2.85% on the resident 
  • The hospitalist-PA service had 9 cases of adverse events, versus 5 cases on the resident service
  • The hospitalist-PA service readmission rate within 30 days of discharge totaled 64 cases, versus 69 on the resident service
  • The hospitalist-PA service had a reported patient satisfaction of 95%, versus 96% on the resident service

“Although the application of these findings to other institutions requires further study, the authors found no intrinsic barriers that would impede implementation elsewhere,” states the study brief.

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