Nurse Practitioner–Physician Comanagement: A Theoretical Model to Alleviate Primary Care Strain

The Article in Brief

Nurse Practitioner-Physician Comanagement: A Theoretical Model to Alleviate Primary Care Strain

Allison A. Norful , and colleagues

Background As a result of shortages of primary care clinicians, policy makers are calling for new models of care delivery. One proposed model is co-management of patients by more than one primary care clinician. This study presents a theoretical model of co-management by nurse practitioners and primary care physicians.

What This Study Found According to the model, effective nurse practitioner-physician co-management requires three core attributes: effective communication, mutual respect and trust, and a shared philosophy of care. These attributes must be supported by a practice environment and policies that recognize nurse practitioners as autonomous primary care clinicians, as well as the willingness of nurse practitioners and physicians to co-manage patients. The authors find that effective nurse practitioner-physician co-management can reduce the primary care clinician's workload, including both clinical care and administrative tasks, thus reducing burnout and fatigue.

Implications

• This new co-management model lays the groundwork for potential care partnerships between nurse practitioners and physicians. The authors suggest that combining the experience and expertise of clinicians from nursing and medicine can result in better care.