<\/b><\/p>\n
<\/b><\/p>\n
FRIDAY, June 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Nurse practitioners (NPs) are a growing segment of the primary care workforce, according to a study published in the June issue of Health Affairs<\/i>.<\/p>\n
Hilary Barnes, Ph.D., from the University of Delaware in Newark, and colleagues assessed trends in NP presence in primary care practices and how state policies such as scope-of-practice laws and expansion of eligibility for Medicaid may encourage or inhibit the use of NPs.<\/p>\n
The researchers found an increasing NP presence in both rural and non-rural primary care practices from 2008 to 2016. By 2016, NPs comprised 25.2 percent of providers in rural practices and 23.0 percent in non-rural practices versus 17.6 and 15.9 percent, respectively, in 2008. The highest NP presence was seen in states with full scope-of-practice laws. Yet, the fastest growth occurred in states with reduced and restricted scopes of practice. Greater NP presence was not tied to state Medicaid expansion status.<\/p>\n
“Overall, primary care practices are embracing interdisciplinary provider configurations, and including NPs as providers can strengthen health care delivery,” the authors write.<\/p>\n
Abstract\/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)<\/a><\/p>\n <\/i><\/p>\n