<p>Additional file 3</p><p>Additional file 3 1 Reference number Fi Aim Study population Sampl Key findings Major strengths and rs Setting (including country) e limitations t A ut h o r Y e a r St u d y D es ig n 44 D To describe the practice Physician Assistant graduates from a two 788 Appropriateness Selection of these 17 ut activities of physician tear programme working continuously in outpati Diagnostic and therapeutic sites (from national te assistants and their rural primary care practice for more than ent- appropriateness scores were highly survey) not specified. ra physician mentors and six months in 14 practice sites in six provid correlated (r=0.87, p<0.001). Observational study , to describe their south eastern states, USA er Scores of PAs were correlated with may not be large M working inter encoun those of their physician employers enough to capture all J relationships ters (r=0.61, p<0.01). PAs and variation. physicians handled less severe 1 (scores 1 to 5) and more severe 9 (scores 7 to 9) encounters equally 7 well, with no statistically 8 significant difference in performance. O bs Except for the PAs acting most er independently in some practices, v there was no apparent trend for at independence to be associated with io poor performance by PAs Studies of OUTCOME: Acceptability to patients, appropriateness of care and cost effectiveness</p><p>Additional file 3 3</p>