Surveys Find More Openness to Care From Non-Physicians
As major physician shortages loom, two new surveys suggest that physicians and patients are becoming increasingly comfortable with health care services provided by non-physician practitioners. According to a report published this month in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, nearly 60% of 5,818 family physicians surveyed in 2011 said they routinely work with a nurse practitioner, physician assistant or certified midwife. Meanwhile, a new report published in Health Affairs suggests that patients increasingly are open to being treated by NPs and PAs.
- "More Patients Accepting Treatment From Non-Physicians" (Robeznieks, Modern Physician, 6/4).