PAs improve the quality of health care because they can spend more time with patients, serving as health educators in addition to treating medical conditions. PAs can help plan prevention strategies with patients, such as nutrition and exercise programs for weight loss, hypertension, and diabetes. They can also help patients quit addictive habits, like smoking.

PAs make health care more accessible through extended office hours. Some PAs offer extended office hours so that working people and their families can come in at night or on weekends. PAs sometimes run health care clinics or practices in rural areas where physicians are not plentiful. All PAs work as part of a physician-directed medical team and can consult with a physician if necessary.