Comparing Physician Assistant and Nurse Practitioner Practice in U.S. Emergency Departments, 2010-2017

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Healthcare Workforce Analysis

Background:

• Physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) play vital roles in United States emergency departments (EDs).
• Understanding the comparative practice patterns of PAs and NPs in ED settings is crucial for healthcare workforce planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the practice of physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) in United States emergency departments (EDs).
• To analyze trends in PA and NP utilization in ED visits using national survey data.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) data from 2010 to 2017.
• Examination of ED visits, patient demographics, and hospital characteristics associated with PA/NP care.

Main Results:

• Between 2010-2017, 21.0% of ED visits involved a PA/NP (with or without physician involvement), and 8.6% were managed by a PA/NP alone.
• An increase in NP visits was observed between 2014-2016.
• PA/NP visits demonstrated numerous shared characteristics.

Conclusions:

• While PAs have traditionally been prevalent in emergency medicine, the number of ED visits involving NPs has significantly increased.
• Despite some observed differences, PAs and NPs exhibit largely similar practice characteristics within the emergency department setting.