Nurse practitioner management of hospital-affiliated primary care centers

Escalating health care costs have forced hospitals to develop alternative sources of revenue. Hospital-affiliated primary care centers that provide comprehensive health services to patients may also supplement hospital revenues with referrals for admission and/or special services. With their documented history of effectiveness, nurse practitioners are well-qualified to manage these primary care centers. This article provides guidelines to help nurse practitioners establish and manage a hospital-affiliated primary care center. Identification of clinical-services and staffing needs, and determination of office, administrative and facility requirements are also discussed.