Primary Care Technicians: A Solution To The Primary Care Workforce Gap

Abstract

Efforts to close the primary care workforce gap typically employ one of three basic strategies: train more primary care physicians; boost the supply of nurse practitioners or physician assistants, or both; or use community health workers to extend the reach of primary care physicians. In this article we briefly review each strategy and the barriers to its success. We then propose a new approach adapted from the widely accepted model of emergency medical services. Translating this model to primary care and leveraging the capabilities of modern health information technology, it should be possible to create primary care technicians who can dramatically expand the impact and reach of patient-centered medical homes by providing basic preventive, minor illness, and stable chronic disease care in rural and resource-deprived communities. P rimary care is "the logical basis of an effective health care system." 1 Nations with strong primary care systems enjoy better health and spend less than those that do not.

Expanding the geriatric mental health workforce through utilization of non-licensed providers

“…EMTs and paramedics practice under the license and supervision of a physician medical director (Kellermann et al, 2013). Emergency medical service providers rely heavily on clinical protocols and standing orders to guide their work in the field, but have access to additional medical direction via radio or telephone.…”

“…Emergency medical service providers rely heavily on clinical protocols and standing orders to guide their work in the field, but have access to additional medical direction via radio or telephone. These providers receive highly focused classroom instruction and supervised practice, with most obtaining additional certification through the National Registry of EMTs and a state license (Kellermann et al, 2013). With highly specialized training and established protocols for providing care away from their licensed supervising physician, EMTs and paramedics are able to greatly expand the emergency care workforce.…”

Tablet as researcher’s kit: An analysis of how social scientists use tablet computers in the field

“…A Patient Care Technician (PCT) should know, for example, how to tactfully assess a patient's home environment and recommend changes patients can make to reduce their risk of illness and injury. (Kellermann, Saultz, Mehrotra, Jones, & Dalal, 2013) With the changes in other fields and industries, one could argue that the perception of tablets in the academy is changing at the speed of any other communication technology introduced into higher education. Academics and researchers who have long been teaching and conducting research are traditionally not influenced by the changes in communication technology.…”

The association of medical student debt on choice of primary care specialty and rural practice location.

“…Nursing and healthcare researchers note the likelihood of PCPs meeting the US primary care healthcare demands as dubious, [184][185][186] and many PCP promotion policies, i.e., increasing class sizes, medical schools, and primary care residencies, will take years before being influential. 187,188 Nurse practitioners (NPs), however, are an alternative to addressing much of the shortfall. 185 Since the mid-1960s, NPs have supplied primary care, often in HPSAs or to diverse populations.…”

“…These non-clinical workers provide health education, make home visits and follow-up phone calls. 188 Grand-aides have both experience and training in medical care prior to becoming grand-aides, and then they receive 200 hours of additional training. 238 These workers, in collaboration with their nurse supervisors, provide patients with chronic disease management as well as primary and preventive care instruction.…”