This year Hayes Locums is celebrating the AAPA’s Inaugural National APP Week from October 11-15. This week honors the contributions of advanced practice providers, including physician assistants, nurse practitioners, CRNAs, CNSs, and CNMs.
Advanced practice providers are a vital part of the healthcare system, and demand for them in the U.S. is increasing. They’re necessary for closing gaps in coverage and providing care to underserved parts of the country. Here are five reasons to celebrate APPs.
1. APPs provide high-quality, cost-effective care.
The average American spent $11,582 per person on healthcare in 2019, a 4.6% increase from the previous year. By 2027, health spending is expected to double.¹ APPs such as nurse practitioners provide high quality care with consistently positive patient outcomes, and can reduce the cost of patient visits by as much as 33%.²
2. They may have a positive impact on the education of residents.
In a study of the impact of APPs on surgical residents’ critical care experience, the majority of residents noted positive effects of nurses calling APPs preferentially for patient-care issues. Most felt that APPs enhanced their training and ICU experience, with 79.8% reporting reduced resident workload, 60.3% reporting enhanced patient care, and 50.5% reporting enhanced communication.³
3. APPs close the care gap in underserved areas of the U.S.
Providing care to remote and rural areas of the U.S. where physicians are in short supply often falls to APPs. In Texas alone, more than 3 million people live in rural areas. The state ranks 36th in the nation for rural health care and faces challenges in providing access to mental health, dental, and primary care.⁴ APPs such as physician assistants have been an important part of the solution to this problem since the 1960s.⁵
4. They’re critical to addressing the nationwide physician shortage.
Projections indicate that by 2032, the U.S. will face a shortage of up to 122,000 physicians, while the supply of APPs such as physician assistants is expected to increase.⁶ Demand for physician assistants is predicted to grow by 37% through 2026.⁷ APPs are necessary to ensure healthcare equity across the U.S. in the coming decade and beyond, providing needed care to an aging population.
5. They play an essential role in ongoing COVID-19 operations.
The entire healthcare industry is facing unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to COVID-19, 78.6% of organizations redeployed or planned to redeploy APPs into other specialties to address staffing shortages in critical departments. Throughout the pandemic, hospitals have relied on the adaptability of APPs to different settings to improve patient access and safety.⁸
We’re happy to see APPs recognized for their diligence and adaptability. Use this week as an opportunity to give thanks to APPs for their skills, their flexibility, and all the good they do on medical teams around the country. Our healthcare system depends on them.
Hayes Locums helps physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and CRNAs find meaningful locum tenens work that suits their needs. Our consultants partner with APPs every step of the way. Start today by searching for an open position.
