There is a growing demand for primary care physicians (PCPs) in the United States due to an increasing physician shortage and a growing burden of chronic disease. As such, nurse practitioners (NPs) have increasingly served as frontline clinicians alongside PCPs. This narrative review aims to describe the scopes, responsibilities, and outcomes of primary care practice between the two professions. A comprehensive review of the literature was performed to explore similarities and differences in the practice, quality of care, patient satisfaction, access to services, and professional challenges faced by both provider groups. Evidence suggests that PCPs and NPs provide complementary care to improve healthcare access. PCPs and NPs share similar responsibilities, including but not limited to examining patients, diagnosing diseases, managing acute and chronic illnesses, developing treatment plans, and coordinating care. PCPs undergo more extensive training, manage complex and invasive procedures, and maintain higher confidence in performing such tasks. Clinical outcomes under NP care are generally comparable to physician care across common or mild primary care conditions. PCPs often have more successful outcomes with severe or complex diseases, managing severe psychiatric conditions, and delivering advanced procedures or therapies. However, higher patient satisfaction is reported with management by NPs. Evidence on prescribing patterns, particularly opioids, is mixed across regulatory environments. This review highlights the need for integrated care models and policy frameworks that optimize collaboration between physicians and NPs, ultimately strengthening the primary care workforce and improving population health outcomes.
Butani et al. (Thu,) studied this question.