Bridging the nursing-physician gap: technology's role in interdisciplinary practice

Nurses and physicians are different--in the ways they practice, think, and in the information systems they use. But managed care and such concomitant features as care teams, cost control, outcomes management, and the move from a "Medical Model" to a "Wellness Model," are closing the gap between the two. This article will explore some of the traditional differences between the two disciplines and the problems they present. It will also discuss some of their shared expertise, how managed care is contributing to this overlap and how information systems are evolving and must continue to do so to support the new synergies.