Amid continued growth of most healthcare professions, the Nurse Practitioner (NP) sector has grown at unprecedented and explosive rates. In fact, new research finds the nurse practitioner workforce has more than doubled over a seven-year span, growing fro

<p>
  Amid continued growth of most healthcare professions, the Nurse Practitioner
  (NP) sector has grown at unprecedented and explosive rates. In fact,
  <a href="http://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/abs/10.1377/hlthaff.2019.00686"
    >new research</a
  >
  finds the nurse practitioner workforce has more than doubled over a seven-year
  span, growing from 91,000 in 2010 to 190,000 in 2017. Helping to fuel the
  surge in NPs was an increase in educational programs, jumping from 356 in 2010
  to 467 in 2017 &ndash; graduating nearly as many NPs as medical schools do
  physicians each year.
</p>

<p>
  The increase in the number of NPs doesn&rsquo;t look to slow down anytime
  soon, with growth projections at 6.8% from 2016 to 2030 &ndash; faster than
  physician assistants and physicians. There are projected to be two NPs for
  every five physicians in 2030, compared to less than one NP per five
  physicians in 2016.
</p>

<h2>NPs Filling Vital Primary Care Needs.</h2>

<p>
  There is a primary care crisis in the United States today, and the projections
  are only gloomier. In 2013, 53% of U.S. states were already experiencing
  primary care physician shortages. By 2025, the
  <a
    href="https://bhw.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/bhw/health-workforce-analysis/research/projections/primary-care-state-projections2013-2025.pdf"
    >U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)</a
  >
  predicts the shortages will rise to include 72% of states. In fact, the
  <a
    href="https://www.aamc.org/news-insights/press-releases/new-findings-confirm-predictions-physician-shortage"
    >Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)</a
  >
  projects a shortage between 21,100 and 55,200 by 2032.
</p>

<p>
  The shortage of primary care doctors is not the only problem. Patient demand
  for primary care is also
  <a
    href="https://patientengagementhit.com/news/nps-pas-could-reduce-primary-care-physician-shortage-nearly-70"
    >increasing</a
  >. By 2030, it will increase by 38% among the 65+ population and by 55% for
  those older than 75. For all age groups, demand will rise by 8%.
</p>

<p>
  Nurse practitioners are well equipped to address and solve much of the
  physician shortage in primary care. Given their degree of training and
  education, as well as a focus on disease prevention and health management,
  these professionals can address the core tenets of primary care. In fact,
  <a
    href="https://patientengagementhit.com/news/nps-pas-could-reduce-primary-care-physician-shortage-nearly-70"
    >78% of NPs</a
  >
  practice primary care, a far cry from the 33% of physicians to specialize in
  primary care. The bottom line is this &ndash; the use of NPs could reduce the
  primary care physician shortage by nearly 70%.
</p>

<h2>Addressing the Rural Health Care Crisis.</h2>

<p>
  The primary care shortage impacts both rural and urban areas, although its
  effects are more concentrated in rural areas.
  <a
    href="https://patientengagementhit.com/news/using-urgent-care-centers-to-support-rural-patient-care-access"
    >Patients living in rural areas</a
  >
  are five times more likely to live in a county with a primary care shortage
  compared to individuals living in urban or suburban areas.
</p>

<p>
  Despite the aggressive efforts among industry leaders, government entities and
  academia to help solve the issue &ndash; from resident programs aimed at rural
  hospitals, a move to accept more medical school applicants from rural areas,
  to innovative rural recruiting programs &ndash; many physicians aren&rsquo;t
  inclined to make this their first choice. A recent survey conducted by Cross
  Country Search found that only eight percent of primary care physician
  residents were open to working in a rural community.
</p>

<p>
  However, the same survey found advanced practitioners, such as NPs, are three
  times more likely than physicians to be open to working in a rural community.
  Moreover, they are further motivated by independence and autonomy in a work
  environment, something increasingly found in rural healthcare facilities.
</p>

<h2>NPs Help Improve Patient Care and Facility Performance.</h2>

<p>
  Primary care practices and other healthcare facilities are turning to NPs and
  other non-physician clinicians to not only fill physician vacancies, but to
  help improve a number of critical initiatives &ndash; from improving workflows
  and patient satisfaction to bolstering revenue generation. In fact, many
  stakeholders have aimed to boost primary care including states, payers and the
  CMS, which launched the
  <a
    href="https://innovation.cms.gov/Files/x/primary-cares-initiative-onepager.pdf"
    >Direct Contracting and Primary Care First models</a
  >
  which encourage primary care practices to take on varying levels of risk.
</p>

<p>
  Healthcare enterprises that use NPs and other non-physician clinicians see
  <a
    href="https://www.mgma.com/news-insights/press/new-mgma-data-shows-medical-practices-utilizing-mo"
    >increased productivity and profitability</a
  >, according to Medical Group Management Association (MGMA). Even beyond these
  benefits, facilities can enjoy a range of improvements across the care
  spectrum, including:
</p>

<ul>
  <li>
    <p>
      <strong>Boost revenues</strong>. The costs of physician vacancies and
      turnover have been estimated by various organizations from between
      one-half to more than two million dollars per year per vacancy depending
      on specialization and facility. With an abundance of NPs in the market,
      hospitals and healthcare practices can hire these professionals instead of
      physicians to stop the bleeding.
    </p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p>
      <strong>Improve workflow</strong>. A recent
      <a
        href="https://www.ama-assn.org/survey-us-physicians-overwhelmingly-satisfied-career-choice"
        >American Medical Association</a
      >
      (AMA) survey found that administrative burden, along with stress and lack
      of time, were top reasons reported for physician burnout. NPs can take
      over tasks like quality reporting and clinical documentation,
      significantly improving a facility&rsquo;s workflow and lessening the
      administrative burden.
    </p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p>
      <strong>Improved patient satisfaction</strong>. Since having NPs on staff
      can ease administrative tasks, it can also improve wait times. While it
      may take weeks or months to get in to see the doctor, often, patients can
      get in to see an NP within hours. This improved wait time &ndash; both to
      get in for an appointment and to see a provider after arrival &ndash;
      contributes to overall patient satisfaction.
    </p>
  </li>
</ul>

<p>
  For more insight into how NPs and other advanced practice providers can
  improve your facilities&rsquo; performance,
  <a href="https://www.crosscountrysearch.com/blogs/the-rural-healthcare-crisis"
    >read the latest trend report</a
  >
  from our direct-hire search partner Cross Country Search.
</p>

<h2>Tap into Flexible Recruitment Solutions.</h2>

<p>
  Hiring decision-makers across most healthcare facilities know all too well the
  difficulty in attracting and hiring physician and advanced practice (AP)
  talent. Whether you&rsquo;re looking for physicians or APs to fill a vacancy,
  staff up for seasonal variations or need coverage for unexpected absences,
  Cross Country Locums can meet any staffing demands.
  <a href="https://www.crosscountrylocums.com/contact-us">Contact us</a> today
  to learn more.
</p>


The Explosive Growth of the Nurse Practitioner Role and Three Ways They Improve Patient Care and Facility Performance