Understanding The Vital Role Of Advanced Practice Providers
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Have you ever wondered what the difference is between making an appointment to see a doctor or an advanced practice provider for an office visit?
Advanced practice providers (APPs) can help provide the same or similar health care services as many doctors. At Premier Health, you may see them referred to in different ways, including:
- Physician assistants (PAs)
- Nurse practitioners or family nurse practitioners (NPs)
- Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs)
- Certified nurse midwives (CNMs)
- Clinical nurse specialists (CNSs)
- Doctor of nursing practice (DNP)
APPs have earned a bachelor’s degree and then gone on to complete a master’s or post-graduate program. They may also have a specialized field of study, such as family medicine, pediatrics, or geriatrics. They are licensed through state licensing boards.
“All nurse practitioners in our office see patients just like any of the physicians do,” says Sara Wilson, APRN (Advanced Practice Registered Nurse). “We have our own patient panels, but in our office specifically – and pretty much everywhere now – we see everybody’s patients. We can do just about everything that the physicians can do in the office."
“We really have taken our approach in this office to treat them as much like any provider,” he says. “Overall, they do essentially 95 percent of the same work that I do every day.”
In Ohio, APPs must have an agreement to collaborate with a physician. Dr. Allen fills that role for Wilson.
“In this setting, it has been a huge asset to have that because there are things that I may not have seen yet or come across,” Wilson says. “He is always there to help us in those situations, and then it allows us to work together as a team.”
Examples of care provided by APPs includes:
- Counseling
- Diagnosing and treating health conditions
- Focusing on disease prevention
- Influencing health education
- Interpreting test results
- Managing patients with acute illnesses
- Managing patients with chronic illnesses
- Promoting healthy choices
- Providing physical exams
- Taking histories
- Treating problems
Why Should You Choose An APP?
As a patient, you benefit from APPs because they make efficient, quality care more accessible, especially in primary care.
Dr. Allen explains that with APPs in the mix, they are able to offer patients additional appointment availability. This means you spend less time in the waiting room, have lower health care costs, all with the same quality care you would expect from a physician.
APPs play a critical role in ensuring high-quality care throughout the visit process. This includes thoroughly reviewing your chart before your visit, verifying and updating your medications, reviewing your lab and imaging results with you, creating individualized treatment plans, coordinating necessary follow-up care, communicating with you via MyChart, and much more, ensuring a seamless patient experience.
Answer a few questions and we'll provide you with a list of primary care providers that best fit your needs.
Source: Joseph Allen, MD, Premier Health Family Care of Vandalia; Sara Wilson-Rector, FNP, Premier Health Family Care of Vandalia; Kurt Hamlin, PA-C, Middletown Medical Group
