Introduction
Background
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PAs follow a 30 month training program at a Master’s degree level.
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The Dutch PA programs incorporate a dual work-education model, which means that students are employed within a particular medical specialty while enrolled in the master’s PA program. The students undertake didactic and clinical education within this medical specialty from the beginning till the end of the curriculum.
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PA students are professionals with a health care-related bachelor’s degree and at least 2 years of clinical work experience in the health care domain.
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PAs conduct low to moderately complex medical tasks within a certain specialty, both in primary and secondary care. Most PAs practice in the hospital setting.
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Since January 2013, PAs are authorized to indicate and perform predefined medical procedures and subscribe medication without supervision. The scope of practice will be re-evaluated in 2017.
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Physician Assistant is a protected title by law. The legislation is written in the Individual Health Care Professions Act (Wet BIG), article 36a.
Study aim
Methods/Design
Study design and population
Study setting
Study population
Primary outcome
Secondary outcomes
Quality of hospital ward care
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Inhospital mortality
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Unplanned transfer to intensive care unit
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Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
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Pressure sore developed during admission
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Fever: number of days body temperature ≥38
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Pain score: number of days Numeric Rating Score ≥7
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Hospital infections: infusion-, urinary track-, airway-, and postoperative wound infections
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Presentation at department of emergency, within one month after discharge
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Non-elective readmission within one month after discharge
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Days between discharge and letter of discharge
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Introduction hospitalist to the patient less than 24 hours after hospital admission
Patients health-related quality of life
Patient experiences with medical ward care
Health professionals’ work experiences and job characteristics
Continuity of care
Qualitative research
Economic evaluation
Volume | Unit |
---|---|
During hospital stay at the included ward
*
| |
Length of hospital stay | Number of days |
Non-elective transfer to ICU | Number of days |
Resource use: | |
Surgery | Type of surgery |
Medication | Frequency, dose and type of medicine |
Laboratory tests | Frequency and type of blood test |
Radiographic imaging | Frequency and type of radiographic imaging |
Scopic tests | Frequency and type of scopic test |
Blood components | Number of units |
Consultation with health care suppliers‡
| Number of consultations |
Medical ward staff:
| |
Hospitalists | Working hours per week hospitalist |
Supervision by medical specialist | Number of hours supervision per week |
During the first month after discharge
†
| |
Non-elective presentation at emergency department after discharge | Number of presentations at emergency department |
Non-elective readmission | Number of days |
Non-elective visit to GP | Number of visits to GP post |
Number of visits by GP at patient’s home | |
Number of visits to GP | |
Number of telephone contacts with GP | |
Required nursing home care | Number of hours per week |
Required domestic home care | Number of hours per week |
Productivity loss | Hours per week |