Substitution of general practitioners by nurse practitioners in out-of-hours primary care: a quasi-experimental study

Task shifting from general practitioners to other health professionals in out-of-hours primary care - a systematic literature review on content and quality of task shifting

BACKGROUND

Task shifting from general practitioners (GPs) to other health professionals could solve the increased workload, but an overview of the evidence is lacking for out-of-hours primary care (OOH-PC).

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the content and quality of task shifting from GPs to other health professionals in clinic consultations and home visits in OOH-PC.

METHODS

Four database literature searches were performed on 13 December 2021, and updated in August 2023. We included articles that studied content (patient characteristics, reason for encounter) and/or quality (patient satisfaction, safety, efficiency) of task shifting in face-to-face contacts at OOH-PC. Two authors independently screened articles for inclusion and assessed the methodological quality of included articles using the JBI critical appraisal checklist. Data was extracted and results were synthesised in a narrative summary.

RESULTS

The search identified 1,829 articles, resulting in the final inclusion of seven articles conducted in the UK or the Netherlands. Studies compared GPs with other health professionals (mainly nurses). These other health professionals saw patients with less urgent health problems, younger patients, and patients with less complex health problems than GPs. Most studies concluded that other health professionals provided safe and vastly efficient care corresponding to the level of GPs but findings about productivity were inconclusive.

CONCLUSION

The level of safety and efficiency of care provided by other health professionals in OOH-PC seems like that of GPs, although they mainly see patients presenting with less urgent and less complex health problems.

Expanding urological services into regional Australia and reducing interhospital transfers: how the nurse practitioner can help

BACKGROUND

A visiting urology service has been in existence at Hamilton Base Hospital, Western Victoria, over the past 25 years, serving an unmet need. A Urology Nurse Practitioner (UNP) provides the care and management of urology patients working in close association with visiting urologists. We aim to assess the impact of the UNP's role in the delivery of regional urological care.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of medical records identified all clinical interventions by the UNP between January 2016 and December 2019. Each encounter was graded according to a clinical severity scale from grade 1 to 5 and assessed for UNP management of patients and the prevention of interhospital transfers.

RESULTS

One hundred eighty-four patients with 654 individual assessments were identified for inclusion and classified according to the adapted clinical severity scale. Most interventions for category 3 and 4 patients related to major bleeding, catheter difficulties, and haemodynamic instability. A total of 19 patients whose urological issues would typically require interhospital transfer were able to be managed locally.

CONCLUSIONS

Transferring an acute patient from a regional to a tertiary hospital for specialist care is often necessary but not ideal for the patient and their family. The presence of a dedicated UNP in a regional centre is important for patient care and has an important role in preventing unnecessary transfers. This is a vital component of a visiting urological service to a rural community.

Introducing a triage and Nurse on Call model in primary health care - a focus group study of health care staff's experiences

BACKGROUND

With the increased demand for health care services and with simultaneous staff shortages, new work models are needed in primary health care. In November 2015, a Swedish primary health care centre introduced a work model consisting of a structured patient sorting system with triage and Nurse on Call. The aim of this study was to describe the staff's experiences of introducing the triage and Nurse on Call model at the primary health care centre.

METHODS

Five focus group discussions with staff (n = 39) were conducted 4 years after the introduction of the work model. Groups were divided by profession: medical secretaries, nursing assistants, physicians, primary health care nurses, and registered nurses. The transcribed text from the discussions was analysed using qualitative inductive content analysis.

RESULTS

The analysis generated one overarching theme: The introduction of triage and Nurse on Call addresses changed preconditions in primary health care, but the work culture, organization, and acquisition of new knowledge are lagging behind. The overarching theme had five categories: (1) Changed preconditions in primary health care motivate new work models; (2) The triage and Nurse on Call model improves teamwork and may increase the quality of care; (3) Unclear purpose and vague leadership make introducing the work model difficult; (4) Difficulties to adopt the work model as it challenges professional autonomy; and (5) The triage and Nurse on Call model requires more knowledge and competence from nurses in primary health care.

CONCLUSIONS

This study contributes with knowledge about implications of a new work model in primary health care from the perspective of health care staff. The work model using triage and Nurse on Call in primary health care was perceived by participants to increase availability and optimize the use of resources. However, before introduction of new work models, it is important to identify barriers to and facilitators for successful improvements in the local health care context. Additional education for the health care staff is important if the transition is to be successful. Complementary skills and teamwork, supported by a facilitator seems important to ensure a well-prepared workforce.

A nurse-led comprehensive geriatric assessment intervention in primary care: A feasibility cluster randomized controlled trial

AIM

To determine the feasibility of a nurse-led, primary care-based comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) intervention.

DESIGN

A feasibility cluster randomized controlled trial.

METHODS

The trial was conducted in six general practices in the United Kingdom from May 2018 to April 2020. Participants were moderately/severely frail people aged 65 years and older living at home. Clusters were randomly assigned to the intervention arm control arms. A CGA was delivered to the intervention participants, with control participants receiving usual care. Study outcomes related to feasibility of the intervention and of conducting the trial including recruitment and retention. A range of outcome measures of quality of life, function, loneliness, self-determination, mortality, hospital admission/readmission and number of prescribed medications were evaluated.

RESULTS

All pre-specified feasibility criteria relating to recruitment and retention were met with 56 participants recruited in total (30 intervention and 26 control). Retention was high with 94.6% of participants completing 13-week follow-up and 87.5% (n = 49) completing 26-week follow-up. All outcome measures instruments met feasibility criteria relating to completeness and responsiveness over time. Quality of life was recommended as the primary outcome for a definitive trial with numbers of prescribed medications as a secondary outcome measure.

CONCLUSION

It is feasible to implement and conduct a randomized controlled trial of a nurse-led, primary care-based CGA intervention.

IMPACT

The study provided evidence on the feasibility of a CGA intervention for older people delivered in primary care. It provides information to maximize the success of a definitive trial of the clinical effectiveness of the intervention.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Patient and public representatives were involved in the study design including intervention development and production of participant-facing documentation. Representatives served on the trial management and steering committees and, as part of this role, interpreted feasibility data. ISRCTN Number: 74345449.

Outpatient nurse staffing relationship with organizational, nurse and patient outcomes: A scoping review

Background

Nurses are an integral part of outpatient healthcare settings and are needed to provide effective patient care. Ample research and reviews have been done on nurse staffing in inpatient settings relationship with a variety of organizational, nurse and patient outcomes, however there is no review of outpatient nurse staffing relationship with organizational, nurse and patient outcomes.

Objectives

The purpose of this paper is to present a scoping review that evaluates the state of the literature on relationships among nurse staffing and organizational, nurse and patient outcomes in the outpatient setting.

Methods

The review used PRISMA guidelines for scoping reviews. The search focused on nurse staffing and organizational outcome in outpatient settings and synonyms for those terms. PubMed, Ebscohost CINAHL, and Ebscohost Global Health were searched. Articles were included if they measured nurse staffing relationship with any organizational, nurse and patient outcome in an outpatient setting. Extraction was completed in a matrix first then charted into synthesis tables.

Results

Thirty-seven studies were included in the review. Nurse staffing was measured in the literature by perceived staffing adequacy, types of healthcare workers staffed, full-time equivalents, nurse vacancies, proportion of nurses to total staff, agency or float nurse use, presence of nurse on the healthcare team and nurse to patient ratios. Nurse staffing of a variety of measures was associated with better patient outcomes, lower costs, and lower nurse turnover. Only one study of the 37 included did not show a positive outcome of better nurse staffing, which showed that increased nurse staffing was associated with less patient engagement in psychotherapy.

Conclusions

Outpatient care setting stakeholders and policy makers should consider improving nurse staffing, as stronger nurse staffing is associated with better patient outcomes lower costs and less nurse turnover. In addition, better staffing helps improve nurses' attitudes towards their job and increase job satisfaction. Most of the studies included in this review only focused on the staffing measure of perceived staffing adequacy. While perceived staffing adequacy is a useful measure of nurse staffing able to capture nurses' perception, it should not be used in isolation and more researchers should focus on gaps in outpatient nurse staffing with more objective measures such as fulltime equivalents.

Tweetable abstract

A 37 article scoping review on nurse staffing in outpatient care found that stronger staffing was linked with better patient outcomes, lower costs, and less turnover.

Development and Initial Evaluation of a Nurse-Led Healthcare Clinic for Homeless and At-Risk Populations in Tasmania, Australia: A Collaborative Initiative

People who are homeless experience significantly poorer health than the general population and often face multifaceted challenges engaging with public healthcare services. Mission Health Nurse-led Clinic (MHNC) was established in 2019 to meet the healthcare needs of this marginalised population in Launceston, Tasmania. This study examines barriers to healthcare access amongst individuals who experience homelessness, client and staff perceptions of the MHNC services and explored opportunities for service expansion. Descriptive statistics were drawn from administrative data, and all interviews were thematically analysed. A total of 426 presentations were reported for 174 individuals experiencing homelessness over 26 months. The median client age was 42 years and 60.9% were male; A total of 38.5% were homeless or lived in a supported accommodation. The predominant reasons for clinic visits included prescription requests (25.3%) and immunisations (20.1%). A total of 10 clients and 5 City Mission staff were interviewed with three themes emerging from the findings: personal vulnerability, disconnectedness and acceptability of the MHNC. The MHNC services were reported to be highly appreciated by all clients. Mental health and allied health, extra operating hours and maintaining the flexibility of walk-in appointments were suggested as expansion areas for the service and were highlighted as ways to increase engagement for improved health outcomes. Continued partnerships with interprofessional primary healthcare providers would contribute to addressing unmet healthcare needs in this vulnerable population.

Nurse practitioner led model of after-hours emergency care in an Australian rural urgent care Centre: health service stakeholder perceptions

Background

The challenges of providing and accessing quality health care in rural regions have long been identified. Innovative solutions are not only required but are also vital if effective, timely and equitable access to sustainable health care in rural communities is to be realised. Despite trial implementation of some alternative models of health care delivery, not all have been evaluated and their impacts are not well understood. The aim of this study was to explore the views of staff and stakeholders of a rural health service in relation to the implementation of an after-hours nurse practitioner model of health care delivery in its Urgent Care Centre.

Methods

This qualitative study included semi-structured individual and group interviews with professional stakeholders of a rural health service in Victoria, Australia and included hospital managers and hospital staff who worked directly or indirectly with the after-hours NPs in addition to local GPs, GP practice nurses, and paramedics. Thematic analysis was used to generate key themes from the data.

Results

Four themes emerged from the data analysis: transition to change; acceptance of the after-hours nurse practitioner role; workforce sustainability; and rural context.

Conclusions

This study suggests that the nurse practitioner-led model is valued by rural health practitioners and could reduce the burden of excessive after-hour on-call duties for rural GPs while improving access to quality health care for community members. As pressure on rural urgent care centres further intensifies with the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic, serious consideration of the nurse practitioner-led model is recommended as a desirable and effective alternative.

Nurse Practitioners in Swiss Family Practices as Potentially Autonomous Providers of Home Visits: An Exploratory Study of Two Cases

In Swiss primary care, general practitioner (GP) home visits have decreased due to impending GP shortages particularly in rural areas. Nurse practitioners (NP) are newly introduced in family practices and could potentially offer home visits to the increasing number of multimorbid elderly. We analysed consultation data from two pilot projects (Practice A and Practice B) with the goal to measure the frequency and patient characteristics of NP consultations both in the practice and on home visits, and to determine the NPs’ autonomy based on the required GP supervision. In Practice A, 17% of all NP consultations were home visits, in Practice B 51%. In both practices, the NPs saw older patients and reported higher autonomy on home visits compared to consultations in the practice. In Practice A, the NP encountered a higher share of multimorbid patients on home visits than in the practice, and the NP’s proportion of autonomously conducted consultations increased from 0% in the first month to 19% after 13 months of GP supervision. In Practice B, the NP was autonomous in about three-quarters of consultations after 2 years on the job. These first cases provide some evidence that NPs could reach a relatively high degree of autonomy and might pose a potential solution for the decreasing numbers of GP home visits to multimorbid elderly in Swiss primary care.

Socioeconomic inequalities in out-of-hours primary care use: an electronic health records linkage study

BACKGROUND

Low socioeconomic position (SEP) is related to higher healthcare use in out-of-hours primary care services (OPCSs). We aimed to determine whether inequalities persist when taking the generally poorer health status of socioeconomically vulnerable individuals into account. To put OPCS use in perspective, this was compared with healthcare use in daytime general practice (DGP).

METHODS

Electronic health record (EHR) data of 988 040 patients in 2017 (251 DGPs, 27 OPCSs) from Nivel Primary Care Database were linked to socio-demographic data (Statistics, The Netherlands). We analyzed associations of OPCS and DGP use with SEP (operationalized as patient household income) using multilevel logistic regression. We controlled for demographic characteristics and the presence of chronic diseases. We additionally stratified for chronic disease groups.

RESULTS

An income gradient was observed for OPCS use, with higher probabilities within each lower income group [lowest income, reference highest income group: odds ratio (OR) = 1.48, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.45-1.51]. Income inequalities in DGP use were considerably smaller (lowest income: OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.15-1.19). Inequalities in OPCS were more substantial among patients with chronic diseases (e.g. cardiovascular disease lowest income: OR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.53-1.67). The inequalities in DGP use among patients with chronic diseases were similar to the inequalities in the total population.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher OPCS use suggests that chronically ill patients with lower income had additional healthcare needs that have not been met elsewhere. Our findings fuel the debate how to facilitate adequate primary healthcare in DGP and prevent vulnerable patients from OPCS use.

Patients' experiences with the advanced practice nurse role in Swiss family practices: a qualitative study

Background

Considering shortages of general practitioners (GP) and strategies for improving the quality of health care provision, many countries have implemented interprofessional care models with advanced practice nurses (APN). International evidence suggests that APN care results in high patient satisfaction. In Switzerland, the role is still new, and the patient perspective has not yet been researched. Our aim was therefore to explore patients’ experiences with the APN role in Swiss family practices.

Methods

We conducted 22 semi-structured interviews in four different family practices with patients aged 18 to 97 suffering from minor acute to multiple chronic diseases, and who had at least one consultation with an APN. All interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Results

The analysis resulted in five themes: Despite the unfamiliarity, all patients were willing to be consulted by an APN because it was recommended by their GP (1); after several encounters, most participants perceived differences between the APN and the GP consultation in terms of the length and style of the consultations as well as the complexity of their tasks (2); the interviewees emphasised coaching, guidance, care coordination, and GP-assisting tasks as APN core competencies and attributed the characteristics empathetic, trustworthy, and competent to the APN role (3); most patients especially valued home visits and the holistic approach of the APNs, but they also noticed that in certain cases GP supervision was required (4); and due to the close collaboration between the APN and the GP, patients felt safe, well cared for and experienced improvements in physical and psychological well-being as well as in daily activities (5).

Conclusion

Our results suggested that patients value the APNs’ competencies, despite their initial lack of role knowledge. Trust in the GP seemed to be the most important factor for patients’ receptiveness toward the APN role. Overall, patients perceived an added value due to the enlargement of the scope of practice offered by APNs. The patient perspective might provide valuable insights for further APN role implementation in Swiss family practices.

Complexity as a factor for task allocation among general practitioners and nurse practitioners: a narrative review

BACKGROUND

General practitioner (GP) shortages and increasing demand for care led to the introduction of nurse practitioners (NPs) to primary care. Many concepts for task sharing among health professionals feature complexity. The aim of this narrative review was to examine how complexity is used as a factor for task allocation between GPs and NPs.

METHODS

According to the PRISMA statement, PubMed and CINAHL were searched systematically, and eligibility criteria were applied to detect literature concerning GPs and NPs in primary care and complexity in the context of task allocation. Relevant information was extracted, and a narrative analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Thirty-seven studies from seven countries were included, comprising quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods. Complexity was used to describe patients, their needs, and health professionals' tasks. The understanding of the use of complexity as a factor for task allocation between NPs and GPs was based on the patient population (specific vs. unspecific), the setting (specific vs. unspecific), the numbers of health professionals involved (two vs. more than two), and the NP role (distinct model of care vs. no model). Despite similarities in these areas, the tasks which NPs perform range from providing minor to complex care. However, there is a slight trend towards NPs treating socially complex patients and GPs focusing on medically complex cases.

CONCLUSION

Complexity as a concept is prominent in primary care but remains broad and inconsistent as a factor for task allocation between NPs and GPs. This review can be used as a point of reference when practitioners are seeking methods for task allocation in a collaborative primary care setting.

Health workforce planning: which countries include nurse practitioners and physician assistants and to what effect?

BACKGROUND

An increasing number of countries are introducing new health professions, such as Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and Physician Assistants (PAs). There is however limited evidence, on whether these new professions are included in countries' workforce planning.

METHODS

A cross-country comparison of workforce planning methods. Countries with NPs and/or PAs were identified, workforce planning projections reviewed and differences in outcomes were analysed, based on a review of workforce planning models and a scoping review. Data on multi-professional (physicians/NPs/PAs) vs. physician-only models were extracted and compared descriptively. Analysis of policy implications was based on policy documents and grey literature.

RESULTS

Of eight countries with NPs/PAs, three (Canada, the Netherlands, United States) included these professions in their workforce planning. In Canada, NPs were partially included in Ontario's needs-based projection, yet only as one parameter to enhance efficiency. In the United States and the Netherlands, NPs/PAs were covered as one of several scenarios. Compared with physician-only models, multi-professional models resulted in lower physician manpower projections, primarily in primary care. A weakness of the multi-professional models was the accuracy of data on substitution. Impacts on policy were limited, except for the Netherlands.

CONCLUSIONS

Few countries have integrated NPs/PAs into workforce planning. Yet, those with multi-professional models reveal considerable differences in projected workforce outcomes. Countries should develop several scenarios with and without NPs/PAs to inform policy.

Task shifting between physicians and nurses in acute care hospitals: cross-sectional study in nine countries

BACKGROUND

Countries vary in the extent to which reforms have been implemented expanding nurses' Scopes-of-Practice (SoP). There is limited cross-country research if and how reforms affect clinical practice, particularly in hospitals. This study analyses health professionals' perceptions of role change and of task shifting between the medical and nursing professions in nine European countries.

METHODS

Cross-sectional design with surveys completed by 1716 health professionals treating patients with breast cancer (BC) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in 161 hospitals across nine countries. Descriptive and bivariate analysis on self-reported staff role changes and levels of independence (with/without physician oversight) by two country groups, with major SoP reforms implemented between 2010 and 2015 (Netherlands, England, Scotland) and without (Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Turkey). Participation in 'medical tasks' was identified using two methods, a data-driven and a conceptual approach. Individual task-related analyses were performed for the medical and nursing professions, and Advanced Practice Nurses/Specialist Nurses (APN/SN).

RESULTS

Health professionals from the Netherlands, England and Scotland more frequently reported changes to staff roles over this time period vs. the other six countries (BC 74.0% vs. 38.7%, p < .001; AMI 61.7% vs. 37.3%, p < .001), and higher independence in new roles (BC 58.6% vs. 24.0%, p < .001; AMI 48.9% vs. 29.2%, p < .001). A higher proportion of nurses and APN/SN from these three countries reported to undertake tasks related to BC diagnosis, therapy, prescribing of medicines and information to patients compared to the six countries. Similar cross-country differences existed for AMI on prescribing medications and follow-up care. Tasks related to diagnosis and therapy, however, remained largely within the medical profession's domain. Most tasks were reported to be performed by both professions rather than carried out by one profession only.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher levels of changes to staff roles and task shifting were reported in the Netherlands, England and Scotland, suggesting that professional boundaries have shifted, for instance on chemotherapy or prescribing medicines. For most tasks, however, a partial instead of full task shifting is practice.

The role and experiences of advanced nurse practitioners working in out of hours urgent care services in a primary care setting

GPs' workload has increased significantly in recent years affecting their ability to provide high-quality services, and consequently there is increasing focus on nurses to provide a solution. There is little evidence of how advanced nurse practitioners (ANPs) experience their role in out of hours (OOH) services, and it is important to understand their perceptions of this and the challenges they may face in supporting service development and improvement. This article evaluates the role and experiences of ANPs working in an OOH urgent primary care service and identifies important factors that affect their roles. Positive factors enable job satisfaction, but challenges associated with knowledge base, perceptions, role definitions and isolation must be considered for quality and governance purposes. The article describes how supportive systems must be in place to enable mentorship, supervision programmes and development of this group of advanced practitioners.

Collaboration in teams with nurse practitioners and general practitioners during out-of-hours and implications for patient care; a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Increasingly, nurse practitioners (NPs) are deployed in teams along with general practitioners (GPs) to help meet the demand for out-of-hours care. The purpose of this study was to explore factors influencing collaboration between GPs and NPs in teams working out-of-hours.

METHODS

A descriptive qualitative study was done using a total of 27 semi-structured interviews and two focus group discussions. Data was collected between June, 2014 and October, 2015 at an out-of-hours primary care organisation in the Netherlands. Overall, 38 health professionals (GPs, NPs, and support staff) participated in the study. The interviews were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. Two researchers conducted an inductive content analysis, involving the identification of relevant items in a first phase and clustering into themes in a second phase.

RESULTS

The following four themes emerged from the data: clarity of NP role and regulation, shared caseload and use of skills, communication concerning professional roles, trust and support in NP practice. Main factors influencing collaboration between GPs and NPs included a lack of knowledge regarding the NPs' scope of practice and regulations governing NP role; differences in teams in sharing caseload and using each other's skills effectively; varying support of GPs for the NP role; and limited communication between GPs and NPs regarding professional roles during the shift. Lack of collaboration was perceived to result in an increased risk of delay for patients who needed treatment from a GP, especially in teams with more NPs. Collaboration was not perceived to improve over time as teams varied across shifts.

CONCLUSION

In out-of-hours primary care teams constantly change and team members are often unfamiliar with each other or other's competences. In this environment, knowledge and communication about team members' roles is continuously at stake. Especially in teams with more NPs, team members need to use each other's skills to deliver care to all patients on time.

Towards an optimal composition of general practitioners and nurse practitioners in out-of-hours primary care teams: a quasi-experimental study

OBJECTIVES

To gain insights into the ability of general practitioners (GPs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) to meet patient demands in out-of-hours primary care by comparing the outcomes of teams with different ratios of practitioners.

DESIGN

Quasi-experimental study.

SETTING

A GP cooperative (GPC) in the Netherlands.

INTERVENTION

Team 2 (1 NP, 3 GPs) and team 3 (2 NPs, 2 GPs) were compared with team 1 (4 GPs). Each team covered 35 weekend days.

PARTICIPANTS

All 9503 patients who were scheduled for a consultation at the GPC through a nurse triage system.

OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome was the total number of consultations per provider for weekend cover between 10:00 and 18:00 hours. Secondary outcomes concerned the numbers of patients outside the NPs' scope of practice, patient safety, resource use, direct healthcare costs and GPs' performance.

RESULTS

The mean number of consultations per shift was lower in teams with NPs (team 1: 93.9, team 3: 87.1; p<0.001). The mean proportion of patients outside NPs' scope of practice per hour was 9.0% (SD 6.7), and the highest value in any hour was 40%. The proportion of patients who did not receive treatment within the targeted time period was higher in teams with NPs (team 2, 5.2%; team 3, 8.3%) compared with GPs only (team 1 3.5%) (p<0.01). Team 3 referred more patients to the emergency department (14.7%) compared with team 1 (12.0%; p=0.028). In teams with NPs, GPs more often treated urgent patients (team 1: 13.2%, team 2: 16.3%, team 3: 21.4%; p<0.01) and patients with digestive complaints (team 1: 11.1%, team 2: 11.8%, team 3: 16.7%; p<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Primary healthcare teams with a ratio of up to two GPs and two NPs provided sufficient capacity to provide care to all patients during weekend cover. Areas of concern are the number of consultations, delay in patient care and referrals to the emergency department.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT02407847.

Patient and care characteristics of self-referrals treated by the general practitioner cooperative at emergency-care-access-points in the Netherlands

Background

In the Netherlands, out-of-hours primary care is provided in general practitioner-cooperatives (GPCs). These are increasingly located on site and in collaboration with emergency departments of hospitals (ED). At such sites, also called emergency-care-access-points (ECAP), the GPC is generally responsible for the triage and treatment of self-referrals who used to attend the ED. To evaluate the effects and safety of this novel organisation, we studied the characteristics and the quality of care given by GPCs to self-referrals at ECAPs.

Methods

Retrospective analysis (August 2011–January 2012) of 783 records of self-referred patients at three Dutch GPCs in an ECAP. This was supplemented with a retrospective analysis of patient records during a follow-up period of three-months to asses safety.

Results

Patient-characteristics: 59% was male, 46% aged between 16–45 years and 59% trauma-related. Most cases (95%) were triaged low-urgent. None received the highest urgency-category. Quality: The triage outcome was correct in 79%, underestimated in 12% and overestimated in 9%. After GP consultation 20% were referred to the ED, mostly for radio-diagnostics. Of the referrals to secondary care, 98% were according to common medical practice. Thirty percent had a follow-up contact, mostly with their own general practitioner, seldom with the ED. Complications, all non-severe, were registered in 3.2%; 0.4% were possibly preventable.

Conclusions

Self-referred patients at an ECAP are mostly trauma related, low-urgent and male patients. The majority could be treated by the GPC without subsequent referral to the ED. Care given at the GPC is reasonably efficient and safe. Triage and treatment of self-referrals by the GPC at ECAPs might offer opportunities for other countries facing problems with inappropriate emergency department visits.

The ratio of nurse consultation and physician efficiency index of senior rheumatologists is significantly higher than junior physicians in rheumatology residency training: A new efficiency measure in a cohort, exploratory study

To elucidate the difference between ratios of nurse consultation sought by senior rheumatologists and junior physicians in rheumatology residency training, and also to evaluate physician efficiency index respecting patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Data regarding outpatient visits for RA patients between November 2013 and 2015 were extracted. The mean interval (day) between consultations, the nurse/physician visits ratio, and physician efficiency index (nurse/physician visits ratio × mean interval) for each senior and junior physicians were calculated. Disease Activity Score in 28 joints-C-Reactive Protein (DAS28-CRP) and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) scores were used to monitor treatment outcome. Therefore, DAS28 and HAQ scores were measured 3 times: firstly at physician consultation, then after nurse consultation, and finally at the third visit, either at a nurse or physician consultation.Of 6046 visits, 3699 visits, planned by 11 physicians (4 specialists and 7 junior physicians), were included. These numbers of visits belonged to 672 RA patients, among which 431 (64.1%) patients were female, the mean age being 64.9 ± 14.1 years, and DAS28 at baseline was 4.5 ± 1.2. The nurse/physician visits ratio (P = .01) and mean efficiency index (P = .04) of senior rheumatologists were significantly higher than that of junior physicians. Regression analysis showed a positive correlation between physician postgraduate experience and physician efficiency index adjusted for DAS28 at baseline and number of patients for each physician (regression coefficient 5.427, 95% confidence interval 1.068-9.787, P = .022). There was a high correlation between physicians' postgraduate experience (year) and the ratio of nurse/physician visits (r = 0.91, P < .001), and also physician efficiency index (r = 0.94, P < .001). Nurse consultation did not contribute to worsening treatment outcome, since DAS28 and HAQ scores were significantly decreased if physician visits were followed by nurse visits (P = .004 for DAS28 and P = .025 for HAQ).If junior physicians are supervised to refer RA patients with milder and sufficient treatment plan to nurses, the entire department operates more efficiently, leading to prevent additional expenses (due to the differences in yearly salary of physicians and nurses) and human resource waste. Quality of care should be monitored by markers of disease activity and CRP.

The impact of substituting general practitioners with nurse practitioners on resource use, production and health-care costs during out-of-hours: a quasi-experimental study

Background

The pressure in out-of-hours primary care is high due to an increasing demand for care and rising health-care costs. During the daytime, substituting general practitioners (GPs) with nurse practitioners (NPs) shows positive results to contribute to these challenges. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the impact during out-of-hours. The current study aims to provide an insight into the impact of substitution on resource use, production and direct health-care costs during out-of-hours.

Methods

At a general practitioner cooperative (GPC) in the south-east of the Netherlands, experimental teams with four GPs and one NP were compared with control teams with five GPs. In a secondary analysis, GP care versus NP care was also examined. During a 15-month period all patients visiting the GPC on weekend days were included. The primary outcome was resource use including X-rays, drug prescriptions and referrals to the Emergency Department (ED). We used logistic regression to adjust for potential confounders. Secondary outcomes were production per hour and direct health-care costs using a cost-minimization analysis.

Results

We analysed 6,040 patients in the experimental team (NPs: 987, GPs: 5,053) and 6,052 patients in the control team. There were no significant differences in outcomes between the teams. In the secondary analysis, in the experimental team NP care was associated with fewer drug prescriptions (NPs 37.1 %, GPs 43 %, p < .001) and fewer referrals to the ED (NPs 5.1 %, GPs 11.3 %, p = .001) than GP care. The mean production per hour was 3.0 consultations for GPs and 2.4 consultations for NPs (p < .001). The cost of a consultation with an NP was €3.34 less than a consultation with a GP (p = .02).

Conclusions

These results indicated no overall differences between the teams. Nonetheless, a comparison of type of provider showed that NP care resulted in lower resource use and cost savings than GP care.

To find the optimal balance between GPs and NPs in out-of-hours primary care, more research is needed on the impact of increasing the ratio of NPs in a team with GPs on resource use and health-care costs.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT01388374.

Descriptive, cross-country analysis of the nurse practitioner workforce in six countries: size, growth, physician substitution potential

OBJECTIVES

Many countries are facing provider shortages and imbalances in primary care or are projecting shortfalls for the future, triggered by the rise in chronic diseases and multimorbidity. In order to assess the potential of nurse practitioners (NPs) in expanding access, we analysed the size, annual growth (2005-2015) and the extent of advanced practice of NPs in 6 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries.

DESIGN

Cross-country data analysis of national nursing registries, regulatory bodies, statistical offices data as well as OECD health workforce and population data, plus literature scoping review.

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS

NP and physician workforces in 6 OECD countries (Australia, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand and USA).

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

The main outcomes were the absolute and relative number of NPs per 100 000 population compared with the nursing and physician workforces, the compound annual growth rates, annual and median percentage changes from 2005 to 2015 and a synthesis of the literature on the extent of advanced clinical practice measured by physician substitution effect.

RESULTS

The USA showed the highest absolute number of NPs and rate per population (40.5 per 100 000 population), followed by the Netherlands (12.6), Canada (9.8), Australia (4.4), and Ireland and New Zealand (3.1, respectively). Annual growth rates were high in all countries, ranging from annual compound rates of 6.1% in the USA to 27.8% in the Netherlands. Growth rates were between three and nine times higher compared with physicians. Finally, the empirical studies emanating from the literature scoping review suggested that NPs are able to provide 67-93% of all primary care services, yet, based on limited evidence.

CONCLUSIONS

NPs are a rapidly growing workforce with high levels of advanced practice potential in primary care. Workforce monitoring based on accurate data is critical to inform educational capacity and workforce planning.