Des Moines University
ABSTRACT
There has been an enormous focus on the impending increase in baby boomers approaching the year 2025 and the predicted shortage of primary care providers. This focus has only increased with the implications the Affordable Care Act has created through its provisions of increased insurance coverage for the uninsured. The numbers that are being predicted as shortfalls of health care providers may be exaggerated under many estimates or under-represented in others. The authors in, “Nurse Managed Health Centers and Patient-Centered Medical Homes Could Mitigate Expected Primary Care Physician Shortages,” analyzed the impact of two emerging models of care—the patient-centered medical home and the nurse –managed health center. These are two models which use a provider mix that is richer in nurse practitioners and physician assistants than today’s predominant models of care delivery. The research found that these new models could have an impact on the projected shortages of primary care positions in certain circumstances.
INTRODUCTION SUMMARY
The article, “Nurse-Managed Health Centers and Patient-Centered Medical Homes Could Mitigate Expected Primary Care Physician Shortage,” examines the projected shortages of primary care physicians that are estimated to occur in 2025. This shortage as was discussed by Shi and Singh in the text, “Delivering Health Care in America pages 132-135 6th Edition. The authors, Auerbach, Chen, Friedberg, Reid, Lau, Buerharm, and Mehrota state on page 5, “projections indicate that if nothing changes we will face a large shortage of primary care doctors and potential surpluses of physician assistants and nurse practitioners by 2025.” (2013)This study analyzes the production model of anticipated physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician
References: Auerbach, D. I., Chen, P. G., Friedberg, M. W., Reid, R., Lau, C., Buerhaus, P. I., et al. (2013). Nurse-Managed Health Centers and Patient-Centered Medical Homes Could Mitigate Expected Primary Care Physician Shortage. Health Affairs, 32(11), 1933-1941. Shi, L., & Singh, D. A. (2015). Delivering Health Care in America: A Systems Approach (6th ed.). Boston: Jones and Bartlett.