A nurse practitioner-led, collaborative, outpatient practice: a case study in outcomes management

To survive, a nurse practitioner-led primary care service must demonstrate that clinical care, patient satisfaction, and financial results are better than those of the competition. Nurse managers must develop a customer-oriented outcomes-management system to ensure the viability of the practice, especially in today's managed care environment. The authors describe how one nurse practitioner-led practice confronted these challenges to establish a successful business and provide opportunities for teaching and research.