A new issue brief published today in a series authored by the AAMC Research and Action Institute's Fellow in Residence, Gaetano Forte, MS, Assistant Director, Center for Health Workforce Studies, University at Albany, SUNY, examines ways to better understand the role of NPs and PAs - two professions that have experienced tremendous growth over the past decade.
To solve modeling deficits and to better project supply and demand for NPs and PAs, the brief suggests an approach that includes improving available data on the contributions of NPs and PAs in team settings and in independent settings; and reframing workforce practice and policy parameters to reflect reality of how care is delivered-not how we wish it to be. Health workforce projection models should adapt to how the workforce changes, including how the workforce is composed, how it is deployed/accessed, and how it accomplishes its work. Understanding new information on the roles of varying care team members such as NPs and PAs can not only improve workforce projection models, but can also facilitate crucial policy conversations that acknowledge the current complexities of care provision and devise realistic policy solutions to health workforce shortages.
I'm curious to know your thoughts on the varying roles of health care team members, and how they are (or rather, should be) reflected in current workforce projection models.
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Atul Grover
Inaugural Executive Director
Association of American Medical Colleges
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