Innovative Practices Expand Health Care Workforce While Increasing Access to Primary and Preventive Care

PHILADELPHIA – The National Nursing Centers Consortium, the largest organization of nurse-managed health clinics in the United States, responded to the recently announced federal investments in innovative, community-based practices led by nurse practitioners. Presented as part of a comprehensive primary care workforce development strategy and made possible by the Affordable Care Act, this new funding initiative will invest $15 million in nurse-managed health clinics.

Nurse-managed health clinics are safety net clinics that provide primary care, health promotion, and disease prevention services to patients who are least likely to receive ongoing health care. This population includes people of all ages who are uninsured, underinsured, living in poverty, or members of racial and ethnic minority groups. They are led by nurse practitioners and other advanced practice nurses who have advanced education and training that allows them to provide a broad scope of health care services similar to those of a primary care physician.

“Nurse practitioners are ready, willing and able to step up and meet our country’s primary care needs,” says Tine Hansen-Turton, MGA, JD, Chief Executive Officer of the National Nursing Centers Consortium (NNCC). “By investing in nurse-managed health clinics, President Obama has shown that he understands the ability of nurse practitioners to provide cost-effective primary care. Nurse-managed health clinics will use this funding to provide health care to patients who are most in need, and increase educational opportunities for the next generation of primary care providers.”

In addition to providing care to patients, nurse-managed health clinics also play an important role in health professions education. More than 85 of the nation’s leading nursing schools operate nurse-managed health clinics that serve as clinical education and practice sites for nursing students and faculty. Many also have partnerships with other academic programs and provide learning opportunities for medical, pharmacy, social work, public health, and other students.

As the government works to implement the Affordable Care Act, health coverage will be extended to as many as 30 million additional Americans by 2014. This will place immediate strain on the country’s existing primary care system and increase the demand for primary care access points for years to come.