Role of Mid-Level Providers in Healthcare
Role of Mid-Level Providers in Health Care
Aimee Larson
MPH 686 U.S. Health Care Delivery System
February 3rd, 2013
Abstract
Shortages in primary care providers and general practice physicians have caused an increase in the demand for midlevel providers, physician assistants and nurse practitioners. This paper will discuss the increasing role of these health care professionals, how their roles differ from a physician’s and the impact they will have on the future of the U.S. health care industry. Keywords: physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner
Role of Mid-Level Providers in Health Care The managed care industry continues to develop and change along with technology, policies, procedures and regulations. A physician’s practice behavior has also continued to change and is more sophisticated than ever before. As a result, managed care companies have begun putting less focus on routine care and “more focus on chronic and/or highly expensive medical conditions” (Kongstvedt, 2009). In addition, many medical students are choosing higher-paying specialty fields of study (i.e. ophthalmology or dermatology) over primary fields such as pediatrics, internal medicine and family practice (Rough, 2009). The U.S. population continues to grow and in 2014 implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will require millions of the U.S. population who were uninsured to become newly insured. It is predicted that there will be a shortage of primary care providers (Health Affairs, 2012). As a result, there is an increased demand for nonphysician and midlevel practitioners, although there is much debate whether midlevel providers such as physician assistants (PA) and nurse practitioners (NP) can replace PCPs effectively.
Physicians
It is most common for a physician to have obtained a degree of medical doctor (MD) or doctor of osteopathy
Aimee Larson
MPH 686 U.S. Health Care Delivery System
February 3rd, 2013
Abstract
Shortages in primary care providers and general practice physicians have caused an increase in the demand for midlevel providers, physician assistants and nurse practitioners. This paper will discuss the increasing role of these health care professionals, how their roles differ from a physician’s and the impact they will have on the future of the U.S. health care industry. Keywords: physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner
Role of Mid-Level Providers in Health Care The managed care industry continues to develop and change along with technology, policies, procedures and regulations. A physician’s practice behavior has also continued to change and is more sophisticated than ever before. As a result, managed care companies have begun putting less focus on routine care and “more focus on chronic and/or highly expensive medical conditions” (Kongstvedt, 2009). In addition, many medical students are choosing higher-paying specialty fields of study (i.e. ophthalmology or dermatology) over primary fields such as pediatrics, internal medicine and family practice (Rough, 2009). The U.S. population continues to grow and in 2014 implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will require millions of the U.S. population who were uninsured to become newly insured. It is predicted that there will be a shortage of primary care providers (Health Affairs, 2012). As a result, there is an increased demand for nonphysician and midlevel practitioners, although there is much debate whether midlevel providers such as physician assistants (PA) and nurse practitioners (NP) can replace PCPs effectively.
Physicians
It is most common for a physician to have obtained a degree of medical doctor (MD) or doctor of osteopathy
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