PA's are used in physiatry practices much the same as in other specialties. In inpatient heavy practices, many docs will use their PA for H&P's, DC summaries and daily rounds. Then the doc will be available by phone and then rounds weekly. That situation would not work for me since the hospital I work at requires the doc to see patients at each visit (there is no autonomy for PAs/ARNPs).
Many "pain management" docs use their PA's for follow ups in the office and routine monitoring of narcotic patients. (with the doc writing Rx's of course). I know of one doc who had her ARNP do EMG/NCS (even the needle electrode exam😱) and then she would interpret the data.
I considered getting a PA/ARNP (they are pretty interchangable around here) but then I stopped doing a lot of inpatient. If my inpatient load got any higher than it is now, I would hire someone (instead of another doc).