How nurse practitioner-led clinics are changing primary care
Nurse practitioner-led clinics are on the rise. They are a relatively new option for the many Canadians seeking primary care — and a compelling one, considering evidence they can effect positive health outcomes, improve access to care, and deliver high patient satisfaction.
But those unfamiliar with nurse practitioner-led clinics may have questions: How exactly do they work, and what makes them different from physician-led clinics?
Jennifer Wankiewicz of River Stone Nurse Practitioner Clinic in Edmonton, Alberta, has some answers. Here she shares how and why nurse practitioner-led clinics are stepping up to assist patients across the country, and what that means for the future of primary care.
What is a nurse practitioner-led clinic?
A nurse practitioner-led clinic is a healthcare facility where highly trained nurse practitioners offer diagnosis and treatment for various medical conditions. These clinics operate much like traditional primary care clinics led by physicians, but with nurse practitioners assuming the primary care role.
Although nurse practitioners aren’t doctors, they are highly educated healthcare practitioners who can alleviate some of the burden on physicians in a primary care setting.
What services do nurse practitioner-led clinics offer?
Nurse practitioners are registered nurses who have advanced their education to the master’s or PhD level. This training enables them to take on more responsibilities in caring for patients. Primary care nurse practitioners can:
- Diagnose and treat a variety of common illnesses and injuries
- Prescribe medications
- Order diagnostic tests
- Make referrals
- Provide accessible preventive care to patients
Why are nurse practitioner-led clinics on the rise?
Nurse practitioner-led clinics are emerging in response to the shortage of doctors in Canada. According to the Angus Reid Institute and the Canadian Medical Association, one in five Canadians has no family doctor, and only 15 percent of Canadians who have family doctors can “get in right away” to see them.
Nurse practitioners’ advanced training and expertise can fill gaps in the Canadian healthcare system. As Jennifer explains, “There aren’t enough doctors. There aren’t enough nurses. In Canada, nurse practitioners are underutilized healthcare workers, and they're the only people who can really step into primary care roles.”
With nurse practitioner-led clinics, patients can benefit from the increased availability of options that may improve their access to care. They can also benefit in other ways.
How do nurse practitioner-led clinics benefit patients?
Nurse practitioners have unique qualifications that can enhance the quality of care they provide.
“They’re very people-oriented because they come from a nursing background,” says Jennifer. Experience with individualized patient care can help nurse practitioners take a more patient-centered approach to delivering care, which is an “increasingly important component of quality healthcare systems” as part of collaborative care, according to a study published in the Journal of Public Health.
A nursing background also equips nurse practitioners to work in concert with other healthcare practitioners on a care team to deliver on higher-quality collaborative care. This coordinated approach can lead to better health outcomes for patients.
Where do nurse practitioner-led clinics fit in the future of primary care?
Nurse practitioner-led clinics could play a significant role in the future of primary care. One potential is they will increasingly take on primary care duties, relieving physicians of excessive workloads.
Physician burnout is a major issue in Canada. The CMA 2021 National Physician Health Survey found that 62 per cent of family physicians experience negative mental health impacts from excessive workloads It may help for them to receive support with their patient loads from nurse practitioners.
“If primary care physicians are overwhelmed, it can be hard for them to work well,” says Jennifer. Should nurse practitioner-led clinics take on some simpler cases? The benefits for doctors could include being able to “focus their skills and energy on their clients — potentially those who have more complex needs — as well as achieving a better work-life balance.”
With their ability to provide comprehensive and patient-centered care, which can alleviate the burden on physicians, nurse practitioner-led clinics are poised to become a valuable part of the primary care landscape.
TELUS Health is committed to providing better healthcare options for everyone. The TELUS Collaborative Health Record can be customized to each clinic’s unique approach, including by defining a care team to help enhance collaborative care models.
Learn more about how collaborative care models are transforming healthcare delivery.