Perceptions of the role of the physician assistant: degree of agreement between physician and physician assistant concerning activities, settings, and responsibility in primary care settings.

An investigation of the differences in the perceptions of the role of physician assistant between physicians and physician assistants in the same primary care practice was conducted. A sample of six practices (one physician and one physician assistant from each practice), obtained from six Appalachian counties in New York State, was examined. Data was collected through the administration of a questionnaire, personal interviews, and on-site activity observations. Comparisons were made for two items: Number of errors between physicians' or physician assistants' perceptions and actual observations for a specified group of 23 activities, and the number of discrepancies between physicians' and physician assistants' perceptions for the same 23 activities. Study results produced significant numbers of errors and discrepancies suggesting that certain barriers to communication exist between the physicians and physician assistants and that a substantial amount of physician-physician assistant activity interaction is necessary to ensure positive conformance of standard duties and functions to practice goals and objectives.