National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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AHRQ Research Studies
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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
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1 to 2 of 2 Research Studies DisplayedMark BA, Patel E
Nurse practitioner scope of practice: what do we know and where do we go?
This article discusses how state-level nurse practitioner (NP) scope of practice (SOP) policies effect access to primary care. In states where SOP policies became less restrictive, patients reported better access to healthcare including increased availability of appointments, greater checkup utilization, decreased emergency visits for ambulatory care, and decreased administrative burden for physicians. There have been a number of studies in states that have restrictive NP SOP policies, and they do not improve quality of care. It was found that states that still had restrictive policies tended to have more political pressure by physician groups than those states and repealed it.
AHRQ-funded; HS000032.
Citation: Mark BA, Patel E .
Nurse practitioner scope of practice: what do we know and where do we go?
West J Nurs Res 2019 Apr;41(4):483-87. doi: 10.1177/0193945918820338..
Keywords: Policy, Primary Care, Provider: Nurse, Provider: Clinician, Provider
Lines LM, Li NC, Mick EO
Emergency department and primary care use in Massachusetts 5 years after health reform.
The goal of this study was to identify characteristics of insured Massachusetts residents associated with primary care sensitive (PCS) emergency department (ED) use, and compare such use for public versus private insurees. The researchers used data on people under age 65 taken from the Massachusetts All-Payer Claims Data for 2011-2012. Their conclusions indicate that public insurance was associated with less access to primary care and more PCS ED use; statewide labor shortages and low reimbursement rates from public insurance may have provided inadequate access to care that might otherwise have helped reduce PCS ED use.
AHRQ-funded; HS022194.
Citation: Lines LM, Li NC, Mick EO .
Emergency department and primary care use in Massachusetts 5 years after health reform.
Med Care 2019 Feb;57(2):101-08. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001025..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Health Insurance, Policy, Primary Care