Embattled and embittered or empowered and evolving: nurse practitioner attitudes toward managed care

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Practice
• Health Economics

Background:

• Managed care significantly impacts healthcare delivery and provider roles.
• Nurse practitioners (NPs) play a crucial role in patient care within managed care systems.
• Understanding NP perspectives is vital for optimizing healthcare systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore nurse practitioner (NP) attitudes toward managed care.
• To identify the origins of negative NP attitudes regarding managed care.
• To determine factors that could improve NP perspectives on managed care.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving in-depth interviews with nurse practitioners (NPs).
• Participants were members of the Massachusetts Coalition of NPs.
• Interviews focused on the impact of managed care on NP practice.

Main Results:

• Negative NP attitudes stemmed from a lack of understanding of practice economics, perceived system rigidity, and inadequate support.
• NPs felt pressured by productivity demands, time constraints, and documentation requirements.
• Positive attitudes were associated with realistic economic views, system negotiation skills, creativity, and business knowledge.

Conclusions:

• Educating NPs on practice economics and system navigation can improve attitudes toward managed care.
• NPs need to be equipped to engage with and influence evolving healthcare systems.
• Preparing NP students for the business aspects of practice is essential for their future roles.