When it comes to the physician shortage, several factors are at play. Between a lack of available residency training and the crisis of burnt-out healthcare workers, the U.S. could experience a shortage of approximately 86,000 physicians by 2036. While there are options to bring more physicians into the field, expanding NP leadership is also a viable solution to fill these gaps and ensure patients continue receiving the care they need.
Leading the Charge in Preventive Care
The shortage of physicians can create significant challenges in healthcare, including long wait times for appointments and limited access to essential preventive care. When patients are unable to receive timely checkups, screenings, or interventions, conditions that could have been detected early, such as hypertension, diabetes, or cancer, may go untreated. This lack of preventive care can lead to the progression of diseases to more advanced and severe stages, ultimately resulting in complications from a lack of early intervention.
However, NPs can step in as leaders in preventive care, helping to bridge this gap in access. NPs are extensively trained not only in managing acute and chronic conditions but also in diagnosing, prescribing medications, and providing treatment plans tailored to each patient. With this training, NPs are well-versed in what it takes to offer comprehensive preventive care. They promote wellness through routine health screenings, immunizations, lifestyle counseling, and chronic disease management.
In this leadership role, NPs provide essential care and help alleviate the burden caused by the physician shortage, ensuring that more patients receive timely preventive services to sustain long-term health.
Bridging the Gap with Telehealth
Out of the physicians remaining in practice, there are still not enough serving in rural communities.
However, according to Dr. Joanne Spetz from the Healthforce Center at UCSF, “The data have shown that primary care NPs, and NPs in general, are more likely to work in rural communities.”
This is especially true for NPs who are working in full-practice states. Even so, while being more likely to work in rural areas, many still practice in the same areas that most physicians would as running a practice in rural areas as there are challenges.
Healthforce Center at UCSF“a limited amount of revenue that an NP can get for their services, needing to make a payment to a supervisor on the margin may reduce an NP’s ability to break even in a rural community.”
That being said, NPs are still finding ways to improve access to healthcare by promoting telehealth services. Through telehealth, NPs can reach patients in remote or underserved areas, removing the need to travel long distances for healthcare. This addresses the physician shortage in rural areas while providing patients with timely access to preventive care, chronic disease management, and other essential services.
Telehealth enables NPs to monitor patient health, conduct follow-up visits, and offer consultations through virtual platforms, eliminating the geographical barriers often preventing rural populations from receiving consistent care.
This expansion of telehealth services is a game-changer for improving healthcare access in rural areas, allowing NPs to extend their reach and provide high-quality care to patients who need it most.
Advancing Through Education and Specialization
As NP leadership in healthcare continues to grow, more opportunities are emerging for NPs to sharpen their skills and pursue specialized fields. NPs can follow any of these paths to further their education and expand their leadership capabilities.
- Continuing Education Programs: NPs can pursue additional certifications and courses to stay updated on the latest medical practices, technologies, and patient care techniques, which are essential for expanding their role in specialized fields.
- Leadership Development: NPs looking to step into leadership roles can engage in programs focused on healthcare management, policy development, and team leadership to better navigate the administrative side of healthcare.
- Specialty Certifications: Certifications in areas including family practice, geriatrics, mental health, or acute care provide NPs with the expertise to specialize in specific fields, opening doors to advanced practice opportunities.
- Advanced Practice Fellowships: These programs offer NPs intensive, hands-on experience in specialized areas such as cardiology, oncology, or emergency care, further deepening their clinical expertise.
NPs Leading the Future of Healthcare
The growing physician shortage presents a serious challenge to healthcare access, but NP leadership is expanding to fill critical gaps, especially in preventive care and underserved areas. Through expanded roles, specialized training, and the adoption of telehealth, NPs are improving access to timely care and enhancing patient outcomes across the country. As NPs continue to expand their expertise and leadership, they play a vital role in addressing the healthcare needs of today and the future.
