Comparable, but distinct: Perceptions of primary care provided by physicians and nurse practitioners in full and restricted practice authority states

Abstract

AimsTo understand patients- and providers- perceptions of primary care delivered by nurse practitioners (NPs) in the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System.DesignQualitative exploratory study (in convergent mixed- methods design).MethodsSemi- structured interviews in 2016 with primary care providers and patients from facilities in states with full and restricted practice authority for NPs. Patient sample based on reassignment to: (a) a NP; or (b) a different physician following an established physician relationship. Data were analysed using content analysis.ResultsWe interviewed 28 patients, 17 physicians and 14 NPs. We found: (a) NPs provided more holistic care than physicians; (b) patients were satisfied with NPs; and (c) providers- professional experience outweighed provider type.ConclusionsPatients- preferences for NPs (compared with prior physicians) contributed to perceptions of patient centredness. Similarities in providers- perceptions suggest NPs and physicians are both viable providers for primary care.ImpactNurse Practitioners (NPs): practice authorityVeterans Affairs Health care: nurse practitioners will continue to be a viable resource for primary care deliveryUnited States Health care: challenges notions patients may not be satisfied with care provided by NPs and supports expanding their use to provide much- needed access to primary care services; expanding Full Practice Authority would allow states to provide acceptable primary care without diminishing patient or provider experiencesæ è¦ ç ®æ äº è§£æ £è å å »ç æ ºæ 对é ä¼ å äººå »ç ä¿ å ¥ç³»ç» ä¸­æ ¤ç å¸ æ ä¾ å çº§æ ¤ç ç ç æ³ ã è®¾è®¡æ ¢ç´¢æ §ç å® æ §ç 究(æ ¶æ æ··å æ ¹æ³ è®¾è®¡)ã æ ¹æ³ 2016å¹´è¿ è¡ ç å ç» æ å è®¿è° ,é è®¿äº å· å æ ¥æ æ ¤ç å¸ ç å ¨ç§ å é å ¨ç§ æ §ä¸ æ ºæ ç å çº§æ ¤ç æ ä¾ è å æ £è ã é æ °å é æ £è æ ·æ ¬:(a) ä¸ å æ ¤ç å¸ ;æ (b)ç¡®ç« å »ç å ³ç³»ç å ¦ä¸ å å »ç ã é ç ¨å 容å æ æ³ å¯¹æ °æ ®è¿ è¡ å æ ã ç» æ æ 们é è®¿äº 28å æ £è ,17å å »ç å 14å æ ¤ç å¸ ã æ 们å ç °:(a)æ ¤ç å¸ æ¯ å »ç æ ä¾ ç æ ¤ç æ ´å ¨é ¢;(b)æ £è å¯¹æ ¤ç å¸ æ å °æ»¡æ ;(c)å »ç æ ºæ ç ä¸ ä¸ ç» éª ç æ é æ¯ å »ç æ ºæ ç±»å ç æ é æ ´å¤§ã ç» è®ºæ £è å¯¹æ ¤ç å¸ ç å 好(ä¸ ä»¥å ç å »ç ç ¸æ¯ )æ å ©äº å»ºç« ä»¥æ £è ä¸ºä¸­å¿ ç è®¤ç ¥ã æ ä¾ è ç è§ å¿µç±»ä¼¼,表æ æ ¤ç å¸ å å »ç é ½æ ¯å ¯è¡ ç å çº§æ ¤ç æ ä¾ è ã å½±å - ¢æ ¤ç å¸ :æ §ä¸ æ ºæ - ¢é ä¼ å äººå »ç ä¿ å ¥ç³»ç» :æ ¤ç å¸ å° ç»§ç»­ä½ ä¸ºæ ä¾ å çº§æ ¤ç æ å ¡ç å ¯ç ¨èµ æº ã - ¢ç¾ å ½å «ç ä¿ å ¥:æ æ è§ å¿µ æ £è å ¯è ½ä¸ æ»¡æ ç ±æ ¤ç å¸ æ ä¾ ç æ ¤ç ,å ¶ä¼ æ ¯æ æ ©å¤§ä½¿ç ¨è å ´,以æ ä¾ æ ¥é ç å çº§ä¿ å ¥æ å ¡;æ ©å¤§å ¨ç§ æ §ä¸ æ ºæ å° ä½¿å å· è ½å¤ æ ä¾ å ¯æ ¥å ç å çº§ä¿ å ¥æ å ¡,è ä¸ ä¼ å å¼±æ £è æ æ ä¾ è ç ä½ éª ã