Policies that Restrict Full Utilization of Nurse Practitioners In Primary Care

The nation is struggling with the challenges and inefficiencies in the current healthcare environment, the increased demand for primary care services, and growing shortage of primary care providers to meet that demand. Although nurse practitioners (NPs) are highly educated, licensed, and certified healthcare professionals who are qualified to provide primary care services, the restrictive policies for physician oversight that exist in many states impede full utilization of the skills possessed by NPs in primary care provider roles. NPs are a crucial part of the solution to the growing demands for primary care in the United States and the transformation of the healthcare system to one in which accessible, patient-centered, essential health services are provided while improving the quality of care and controlling healthcare costs.