Optimal Staffing Models To Care For Frail Older Adults In Primary Care And Geriatrics Practices In The US

Comprehensiveness in Primary Care: A Scoping Review

Policy Points Efforts to address a perceived decline of comprehensiveness in primary care are hampered by the absence of a clear and common understanding of what comprehensiveness means. This scoping review mapped two domains of comprehensiveness (breadth of care and approach to care) as well as a set of factors that enable comprehensive practice. The resulting conceptual map supports greater clarity for future use of the term comprehensiveness, facilitating more precisely targeted research, practice, and policy efforts to improve primary care systems.

CONTEXT

Associated with system efficiency and patient-perceived quality, comprehensiveness is widely recognized as foundational to high-quality primary care. However, there is concern that comprehensiveness is declining and that primary care physicians are providing a narrower range of services. Efforts to address this perceived decline are hampered by the many different and sometimes vague definitions of comprehensiveness in current use. This scoping review explored how comprehensiveness in primary care is conceptualized and defined in order to map its attributes in support of being able to more clearly and precisely define this key concept in research, practice, and policy.

METHODS

We conducted a scoping review, following the methods of Arksey and O'Malley and Levac and colleagues. The search included terms for two key concepts: primary care and comprehensiveness. Developed in Ovid Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), the search was adapted for Cumulated Index in Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and Embase, as well as for gray literature. After a multistep review, included sources underwent detailed data extraction.

FINDINGS

A total of 360 sources were extracted; 57% were empirical studies and 65% were published between 2010 and 2022. Across these sources, we identified nine attributes of comprehensiveness in primary care. We mapped these attributes into two conceptual domains: breadth of care (services, settings, health needs and conditions, patients served, and availability) and approach to care (one-stop shop, whole-person care, referrals and coordination, and longitudinal care). Additionally, we identified three enablers of comprehensiveness, namely structures and resources, teams, and competency.

CONCLUSIONS

The conceptual map of comprehensiveness in primary care offers a valuable tool that supports clarity for future use of the term comprehensiveness. The domains and attributes we identified can be used to develop definitions and measures that are appropriate to research, practice, and policy contexts, enabling more precise efforts to improve primary care systems.

US Primary Care Workforce Growth: A Decade of Limited Progress, and Projected Needs Through 2040

BACKGROUND

Despite efforts to mitigate a projected primary care physician (PCP) shortage required to meet an aging, growing, and increasingly insured population, shortages remain, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, growing inequity, and persistent underinvestment.

OBJECTIVE

We examined primary care workforce trends over the past decade and revisited projected primary care clinician workforce needs through the year 2040.

DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS

Using data from the AMA Masterfile and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), we analyzed trends in the number of primary care physicians (PCPs) and in outpatient PCP visits by age and gender over the past decade. We then used the Medicare PECOS and Physician & Other Practitioners datasets to identify nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) in primary care.

MEASURES

Using these baseline clinician enumerations and projected population growth estimates from the US Census Bureau for the years 2020-2040, we calculated estimated primary care workforce needs by 2040.

KEY RESULTS

The effects of aging and population growth and baseline shortages in the primary care workforce call for significant increases in the primary care workforce to accommodate rising demands. Office visits to primary care clinicians are projected to increase from 773,606 in 2020 to 893,098 in 2040. We project a need for an additional 57,559 primary care clinicians by 2040.

CONCLUSIONS

Workforce shortages in primary care continue to expand due to population aging, growth, and heightened rates of clinician burnout & egress.

Incorporating value-informed advanced nursing practice into APRN education

Value-informed advanced practice nursing capitalizes on the high-value nursing model of care to meet population health needs and address rising healthcare costs. However, nurse practitioners (NPs) often lack knowledge about value-based care, which limits their ability to lead systems-based changes to improve outcomes and lower costs. Identifying the key domains for value-informed advanced nursing practice can support curricular alignment with competency-based education. A review of the peer-reviewed and gray literature identified an initial list of domains that impact the success of value-based NP care. These domains were then confirmed and validated through interviews with eight NP practice owners. The final seven key domains of value-informed advanced nursing practice - Leadership/High Value Culture, Quality and Analytics, Care Coordination, Collaboration and Community Connections, Financial Management, Care Redesign, and IT Infrastructure and Interoperability - align with the sub-competencies established by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty. Learning activities are offered to facilitate NP understanding of value-informed nursing practice and meet selected sub-competencies. Incorporating the key domains for value-informed advanced nursing practice into NP and Doctor of Nursing Practice education prepares emerging and seasoned NPs to lead systems-level change and improve care delivery.

Describing the Physician Associate Clinical Training Site Compensation Market

INTRODUCTION

Inadequate clinical training site availability may inhibit physician assistant/associate (PA), advanced practice nursing (APN), and physician workforce growth. Educational institutions increasingly incentivize clinical training sites with financial compensation, with potential implications for educational costs and enrollment. This study investigated compensation trends among PA programs.

METHODS

Data from the 2013 to 2019 PA Education Association Program Reports were examined. Multivariate logistic and linear regressions were estimated to identify the influence of PA program characteristics on clinical training site compensation. The effect of compensation on program enrollment was determined with a difference-in-differences estimator.

RESULTS

Physician assistant/associate programs collectively paid nearly $19 million to clinical training sites in 2019. The percentage of programs that offer financial incentives increased from 22.2% in 2013 to 52.3% in 2019. Over this time, public institutions affiliated with academic health centers (AHCs) were least likely to offer compensation. Higher compensation rates were observed in Census divisions with greater number of programs, and programs located in New England were the most likely to offer compensation. Offering compensation did not influence growth in programs' enrollment.

DISCUSSION

Compensation trends highlight increasing demand for PA clinical training sites, especially in areas with greater regional competition. Compensation is primarily driven by private institutions unaffiliated with AHCs. Programs likely offer compensation to maintain, rather than grow, enrollment. Additional investigation should incorporate medical school and APN program data to more fully examine the impact of these costs on learners, institutions, and the health care workforce.

Supply and Geographic Distribution of Geriatric Physicians and Geriatric Nurse Practitioners

Importance

The rapidly growing population of older adults and their concomitant high prevalence of chronic health conditions require an increased supply in the specialized geriatric workforce to meet increasing health care demands. Understanding trends and geographic disparities in the supply of the geriatric workforce is essential for developing effective policies.

Objectives

To examine temporal and geographic trends in the supply of geriatric physicians (GMDs) and geriatric nurse practitioners (GNPs) from 2010 to 2020 and to assess potential disparities between metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This repeated cross-sectional study used annual county-level data from 2010 to 2020, encompassing all counties in the 50 US states and Washington, DC. Statistical analysis was performed from June 2023 to March 2024.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcomes were the numbers of GMDs, GNPs, and the combined number of GMDs and GNPs per 100 000 older adults. The secondary outcome included the proportion of counties with or without any GMDs or GNPs.

Results

From 2010 to 2020, the national per capita supply of GMDs decreased by 12.7%, from 13.4 per 100 000 older adults in 2010 to 11.7 per 100 000 older adults in 2020, while GNPs increased by 125.0%, from 4.4 per 100 000 older adults in 2010 to 9.9 per 100 000 older adults in 2020. The combined GMD and GNP workforce increased by 21.3%, from 17.8 per 100 000 older adults in 2010 to 21.6 per 100 000 older adults in 2020. The distributions of older adults, GMDs, and GNPs closely resembled the distribution of metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties, with GMDs and GNPs highly concentrated in metropolitan counties where the number of older adults was greatest. Throughout the study period, 63.9% of counties (2008 of 3142 in 2010-2019; 2009 of 3143 in 2020), predominantly small and nonmetropolitan counties, had no GMDs or GNPs, which was associated with the disparities between metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties.

Conclusions and Relevance

This repeated cross-sectional study found that from 2010 to 2020, the overall national supply of GMDs and GNPs kept pace with the growth of the older population, largely due to the rapid growth in the number of GNPs. However, significant geographic disparities persisted, particularly in small and nonmetropolitan counties. Future efforts should focus on increasing the availability of GMDs and GNPs in underserved small and nonmetropolitan counties to ensure equitable access to geriatric care.

Specialization of Physician Associates and Nurse Practitioners as Reflected in Workforce Projections

Introduction The utilization of physician associates (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) within the United States healthcare system has increased substantially since their inception in the 1960s. While many PAs and NPs are educated and work within specialty areas in their clinical practice, the federal government does not identify PAs and NPs by specialty in its workforce projections. Methods We obtained data from publicly available sources as well as professional organizations. Employment status, specialty, and location information for NPs and PAs were drawn from association census surveys. Results Outpatient or ambulatory care employment sites employ 46.6% of NPs and 55.3% of PAs, while almost a quarter of each group (22.1% and 23.9%, respectively) work in general and surgical hospitals. About 9% of providers who are PAs and NPs are employed in Federally Qualified Health Centers, many of which are in health professional shortage areas (HPSAs). The number of PAs and NPs working in HPSAs has significantly increased from 72,000 PAs and NPs in 2011 to 110,000 in 2023. There has been no growth of physicians in HPSAs during this same time. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) does not identify NPs and PAs by their specialty practice area so the extent to which they provide care in specialty areas is unknown based on HRSA data. Conclusion It is essential to provide detailed information inclusive of PAs and NPs as well as physicians in planning for healthcare workforce needs. The accurate projection of potential healthcare provider shortages requires knowledge of each type of provider along with their role and specialization to determine gaps in healthcare service delivery.

Scenarios, not shortage forecasts, are key to better workforce policy

Current and projected shortages in the US health workforce have prompted policymakers to propose reforms to Medicare Graduate Medical Education (GME) and nursing programs. However, researchers have historically faced challenges in accurately predicting workforce trends; physician and nurse supply and demand all grew faster than expected over the past 2 decades. These discrepancies highlight the need for scenario-based workforce planning and projection models that estimate how a policy intervention would affect the workforce outcome of interest. In addition, policy options modeled should address not only increasing provider-to-population ratios but also improving health outcomes through innovative payment and care models.

The Social Ecology of Burnout: A framework for research on nurse practitioner burnout

BACKGROUND

The U.S. health system is burdened by rising costs, workforce shortages, and unremitting burnout. Well-being interventions have emerged in response, yet data suggest that the work environment is the problem. Nurse practitioner (NP) burnout is associated with structural and relational factors in the work environment, practice autonomy, and hierarchical leadership.

PURPOSE

We explore the unique social, cultural, and political environment in which NPs work through the lens of social ecology and present the Social Ecology of Burnout (SEB) framework.

METHODS

We review current burnout frameworks in the context of the NP practice environment and discuss the SEB, specifically exploring psychological safety and its influence on burnout.

FINDINGS

Psychological safety, work environment, and policy are presented within the SEB and solutions which empower NPs are considered.

DISCUSSION

Our framework can serve as a guide for future nursing research, practice, and policy.

Physicians working with physician assistants and nurse practitioners: perceived effects on clinical practice

Physicians in the United States are increasingly working with physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs), but little is known about how they perceive working with PAs and NPs affects their clinical practice. We used a new national survey to examine physicians' perceptions of working with PAs and/or NPs on their patient volume, care quality, time use, and workload. Among our analytical sample of 5823 physicians, 59% reported working with PAs and/or NPs. Most reported that PAs and NPs positively affected their clinical practice. Among several findings, physicians working in medical schools and with higher incomes were more likely to indicate that PAs improve their clinical practices in all 4 aspects, while being in specialties with higher women's representation was associated with lower ratings for working with PAs. Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander physicians and those with higher incomes were more likely to signify that NPs improved their clinical practices in all 4 aspects. These findings provide valuable insights, from the physicians' perspective, on care delivery reform.

When is caring sharing? Primary care provider interdependence and continuity of care

ABSTRACT

Efforts to improve access to high-quality, efficient primary care have highlighted the need for team-based care. Most primary care teams are designed to maintain continuity of care between patients and primary care providers (PCPs), because continuity of care can improve some patient outcomes. However, PCPs are interdependent because they care for, or share, patients. PCP interdependence, and its association with continuity of care, is not well described. This study describes a measure of PCP interdependence. We also evaluate the association between patient and panel characteristics, including PCP interdependence. Our results found that the extent of interdependence between PCPs in the same clinic varies widely. A range of patient and panel characteristics affect continuity of care, including patient complexity and PCP interdependence. These results suggest that continuity of care for complex patients is sensitive to panel characteristics, including PCP interdependence and panel size. This information can be used by primary care organizations for evidence-based team design.

Generalist-Specialist Collaboration in Primary Care for Frail Older Persons: A Promising Model for the Future

OBJECTIVES

The complex care needs of frail older persons living at home is a major challenge for health care systems worldwide. One possible solution is to employ a primary care physician (PCP) with additional geriatric expertise. In the Netherlands, elderly care physicians (ECPs), who traditionally work in nursing homes, are increasingly encouraged to utilize their expertise within primary care. However, little is known about how PCPs and ECPs collaborate. Therefore, we aimed to unravel the nature of the current PCP-ECP collaboration in primary care for frail older persons, and to identify key concepts for success.

DESIGN

A qualitative multiple case study with semistructured interviews.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

A selection of 22 participants from 7 "established collaboration practices" within the primary care setting in the Netherlands, including at least 1 ECP, 1 PCP, and 1 other health care professional for every included established collaboration practice.

METHODS

Transcripts of individual interviews were analyzed using largely double and independent open and axial coding, and formulation of themes and subthemes.

RESULTS

Data analysis revealed 4 key concepts for success: (1) clarification of roles and expectations (ie, patient-centered care and embedding in existing care networks), (2) trust, respect, and familiarity as drivers for collaboration (ie, mutual trust through knowing each other and having shared goals); (3) framework for regular communication (ie, structural meetings and a shared vision); and (4) government, payer, and organization support (ie, financial support and emphasis on the collaboration's urgency by organizations and national policy makers).

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

For a successful generalist-specialist collaboration, health care professionals need to invest in building relationships and mutual trust, and incorporating their efforts in the existing care networks to guarantee patient-centeredness. When provided with reimbursement and appreciation, this collaboration is a promising change in general practice to improve the care and outcomes of frail older persons.