This isn’t a commentary on physicians—we love our MDs and DOs! But it is a reflection of the physician shortage affecting our country. In fact, we’re estimated to hit a deficit of more than 121,000 physicians by 2030. The shortage of docs is already creating huge barriers to healthcare access, especially in rural areas, where only 11% of physicians choose to practice. Take Kentucky, for instance, where 102 of the 120 counties have been designated as “medically underserved areas.” While many may feel we should hold tight and wait for a new generation of students to become physicians, we simply don’t have that time. There is another group of safe and quality providers who are primed to help fill the healthcare gap right now: Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). These graduate-educated APRNs can provide many of the same services as physicians because they have rigorous training above and beyond that of a registered nurse, including at least a master’s degree in nursing (about 18% have a doctoral) plus hundreds or even thousands of hours of hands-on specialized practice. What’s more, their patient outcomes are comparable to physicians’ research shows. But there are two key obstacles to this solution. So, when can you forgo a weeks-long wait for that doctor’s appointment and instead go straight to an APRN for the same care? If you live in a state with full-practice authority, here are just a few of the scenarios when you’ll want to visit an APRN. APRNs can also order any diagnostic tests needed to help determine that diagnosis. “MRIs, CT scans, X-rays, all the points-of-care tests like strep, flu, a complete blood count—we can order any test that’s appropriate for a patient based on their assessment,” says Stroupe. In fact, these types of preventative appointments are central to their training, depending on their role and specialty. “Family nurse practitioners are taught from the beginning to do full head-to-toe assessments, not just problem-focused assessments, so we can catch problems early,” says Stroupe. “Then we can take a more holistic approach and say, ‘You don’t have high blood pressure yet, but you’re going to unless you make some diet and lifestyle modifications, so let’s see if we can keep this under control.’” “If the condition becomes complicated and we’re having trouble managing it, I’ll refer the patient to a specialist like an endocrinologist or cardiologist,” says Briggs. To ensure greater access to health care by safe and qualified providers, support the bill in your state by clicking here.
