Evolution of a Family Nurse Practitioner Program to improve primary care distribution

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Medical Education
• Primary Care

Background:

• Medically underserved areas face significant challenges in primary health care access.
• Effective distribution of healthcare professionals is crucial for addressing health disparities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of the University of California, Davis, Family Nurse Practitioner Program on primary health care manpower distribution.
• To identify key strategies employed by the program to serve medically underserved areas.

Main Methods:

• Programmatic analysis of student, preceptor, and faculty recruitment from underserved areas.
• Assessment of decentralized clinical and didactic training site implementation.
• Review of the competency-based, portable curriculum's role.
• Evaluation of the circuit-riding, institutionally based faculty model.

Main Results:

• The program effectively improved the distribution of primary health care professionals in targeted underserved regions.
• Strategies included targeted recruitment, decentralized training, and a flexible curriculum.
• An institutionally based, circuit-riding faculty model facilitated program delivery.

Conclusions:

• The Family Nurse Practitioner Program model demonstrates success in enhancing primary healthcare workforce distribution.
• Decentralized training and adaptable curricula are effective strategies for serving underserved populations.
• This model offers a replicable approach for improving healthcare access in underserved areas.