The Rising Demand for Advanced Practice Providers in Healthcare
Medical practices are struggling to meet patient demand due to the primary care shortage in the US. This shortage leads to longer wait times, reduced access to care, and physician burnout.
With an expanded scope of practice and legislative support, APPs can help solve these problems and step in to fill gaps in care.
Understanding Advanced Practice Providers (APPs)
- Nurse Practitioners (NPs): Registered nurses with advanced degrees (Master’s or Doctorate) who are trained to provide care in specific areas like family health, pediatrics, or geriatrics.
- Physician Assistants (PAs): Medical professionals who are trained to practice medicine under the supervision of a physician. PAs perform similar duties to NPs but usually require more direct oversight by a doctor.
The Legislative Landscape Affecting APPs
Recent legislative changes have played a crucial role in shaping the growing demand for Advanced Practice Providers (APPs).
Key Legislative Changes Impacting APPs
- Changes in state regulations: Many states have updated their regulations to grant APPs more autonomy. Several states now allow NPs full practice authority, meaning they can diagnose, treat, and prescribe medications without physician supervision. AANP’s interactive State Practice Environment map provides an overview of NP licensure across the US.
- Expansion of prescriptive authority: In the past, APPs, particularly Nurse practitioners, had limitations on their ability to prescribe medication. However, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) advocates that NPs have unrestricted prescriptive authority, including dispensing privileges, within their scope of practice.
Scope of Practice: What’s Changing?
In healthcare, scope of practice refers to the specific activities, responsibilities, and services that a licensed healthcare professional is legally permitted to perform based on their qualifications, training, and experience. It defines the boundaries within which a healthcare provider, such as a doctor, nurse, or Advanced Practice Provider (APP), can practice, including:
- The type of care they can provide (e.g., diagnosing conditions, prescribing medications, performing procedures).
- The level of supervision required, if any, by other healthcare professionals (e.g., physicians).
- The settings where they can practice (e.g., hospitals, clinics, private practices).
Each healthcare role has a different scope of practice, which is typically regulated by state or national licensing boards and varies by location. For example, as we mentioned, in some states, Nurse Practitioners (NPs) may have full practice authority, allowing them to work independently, while in other states, they may require physician oversight.
The scope of practice ensures that healthcare professionals work within their expertise to provide safe, effective care to patients.
In states where NPs have full practice authority, NPs do not need physician supervision or collaboration to perform key medical tasks, such as evaluating patients, diagnosing conditions, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests, and managing treatments (including prescribing medications).
By granting more independence to APPs, legislative bodies are helping address the critical primary care shortage across the US, ultimately improving access to care for millions of Americans.
Enhancing Patient Care Through APP Integration
The Future of APPs in Healthcare
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a 45% increase in NP employment from 2022 to 2032.
- The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) reports that the number of NPs in the US has more than doubled since 2010 and reached 330,000 in 2023.
- The American Academy of Physicians Assistants (AAPA) reported 121,000 practicing in 2023 and predicts there will be more than 145,000 by 2025.
How Harris CareTracker Supports APPs
Harris CareTracker’s EHR and Practice Management solutions are designed to streamline the work of APPs, enabling them to provide high-quality care with greater efficiency.
- User-friendly dashboards: Harris CareTracker provides intuitive, user-friendly dashboards that allow APPs to manage patient information, treatment plans, and follow-ups with ease. It simplifies scheduling, charting, and documentation, enabling APPs to spend less time on administrative tasks and more time on patient care.
- Integration for seamless communication: Communication and collaboration are key in healthcare, especially for APPs working in team-based care settings. Harris CareTracker integrates seamlessly with other healthcare systems, facilitating smooth data sharing and coordination between providers. This ensures APPs can work closely with physicians, specialists, and other healthcare professionals to deliver coordinated, patient-centered care.
- Customizable features: Every practice is unique, and Harris CareTracker offers customizable features that allow APPs to tailor the platform to their specific needs.
With an emphasis on usability, integration, and customization, Harris CareTracker ensures that APPs can focus on what matters most: patient care.
Contact Harris CareTracker today to learn more.
Conclusion
The growing demand for Advanced Practice Providers reflects broader changes in healthcare. With primary care shortages, rising healthcare costs, and a greater need for accessible care, APPs are stepping up to fill critical roles in medical practices. They are not only improving patient access and outcomes but also helping healthcare organizations operate more efficiently.
As regulations continue to evolve and patients increasingly seek care from NPs and PAs, the role of APPs will likely expand even further. Medical practices that embrace this trend will be better positioned to meet healthcare challenges while providing high-quality, cost-effective care to their patients.
