A new study from Columbia University reports that primary care practices employing NPs are more likely to serve socioeconomically disadvantaged communities than practices with no NPs on staff. Practices with NPs were more likely to be based in low-income and rural areas, and in regions with the lowest supply of primary care practices. "This study demonstrates that NPs are increasingly utilized for primary care delivery across the country, and especially within low-socioeconomic communities," the researchers note. "This is important as fewer doctors are choosing to practice primary care, resulting in an estimated shortfall of 20,200-40,400 primary care physicians by 2036." Studies consistently show that NPs provide high-quality care with health outcomes equal to physicians, and that NPs are more likely than doctors to practice in rural and underserved areas. Pennsylvania needs full practice authority to allow more NPs to serve patients in these underserved communities lacking primary care providers, making high-quality health care more accessible for all Pennsylvania patients. You can read a brief article about the study below, or view the full Columbia University study here: https://lnkd.in/emy2A7Xc #NursePractitioners #CareForPA #FullPracticeAuthority #NPsLead #HealthcareAccess #AccessToCare
