Resident Physicians' Attitudes Towards State Advanced Practice Provider Independence Laws.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Policy
• Healthcare Workforce Studies

Background:

• US states are expanding scope-of-practice for advanced practice providers (APPs) to address physician shortages.
• Little is known about resident physicians' perceptions of these legislative changes and their impact on clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess resident physicians' perspectives on APP-delivered care.
• To understand resident views on legislative impacts on clinical practice and professional consequences.

Main Methods:

• An anonymous 20-item survey was administered to 522 resident physicians across various specialties in the US.
• The survey collected data on demographics, familiarity with APP legislation, and perceptions of APP care and workforce implications.
• Quantitative analysis included descriptive statistics and chi-square testing.

Main Results:

• 62% of residents believed APP independence laws would improve access to care.
• A significant majority rated NP- and PA-delivered care as lower quality than physician care (89% and 86%, respectively).
• Most residents opposed independent APP practice (92%), citing concerns about quality, collaboration, and job security, with 40% less likely to practice in states with APP independence.

Conclusions:

• Resident physicians express significant concerns about the quality and professional implications of expanded APP scope-of-practice legislation.
• These concerns may disincentivize physicians from practicing in states with greater APP autonomy, potentially affecting physician distribution.
• Policymakers should consider resident perspectives to mitigate unintended consequences on the healthcare workforce and interprofessional collaboration.