NP Current

The Impact of Patient Attachments to Nurse Practitioners in a Primary Care Clinic: A Comparative Analysis of Acute Care Utilization

Sarah Crowe, MN, PMD-NP(F), NP CNCC(C), Laura Housden, PhD, MN-NP(F), NP — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0700

Background: The rising demand for accessible primary care services in the face of an aging population and increasing chronic conditions underscores the need to optimize healthcare delivery models. This study investigates the efficacy of patient attachments to Nurse Practitioners (NPs) in reducing acute care utilization in an urban primary care clinic in British Columbia.

Method: Through a comparative analysis of patient panels managed by NPs, including before and after attachment data, significant reductions in emergency department visits, in-patient admissions, and readmissions within 30 days of discharge were observed post-attachment.

Analysis: Statistical analyses confirmed the effectiveness of NP attachments across all providers. Economic analysis revealed substantial cost savings associated with reduced acute care utilization.

Conclusion: These findings underscore the pivotal role of NPs in delivering comprehensive, proactive care, and highlight the economic benefits of investing in patient attachment programs. Moreover, beyond healthcare system benefits, patient attachments to NPs offer direct benefits to patients, enhancing overall well-being and quality of life. Further research into the long-term implications of NP-led primary care and patient attachment programs is warranted to inform healthcare policies and practices, advancing patient-centred, sustainable healthcare delivery models.

Integrating Prescribed Physical Activity as a Primary Care Intervention in Routine Practice

Alannah Morton, Ashley Hardy — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0700

Most Canadian adults do not achieve recommended levels of physical activity (PA). Prevalence of physical inactivity has detrimental impacts on health, chronic disease management and healthcare expenditure. Primary care providers are ideally positioned to provide PA counselling. Prescribed PA is an effective method that increases client adherence, combats the barrier of providers’ time limitation and improves perceived quality of care. An approach is outlined which identifies PA as a ‘vital sign’, addresses eligibility for safe activity engagement, develops an individualized prescription that promotes compliance, and establishes routine follow-up. This approach aims to translate effective PA counselling into routine primary care

Keywords: physical activity, exercise, prescribed physical activity, physical activity counselling, preventative healthcare, primary care.

Examining the Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in the Canadian Newcomer Population

Hardeep Dhillon NP, Dr. Lynn Scruby RN, PhD — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0700

Newcomers from certain ethnic backgrounds are underdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes (DM2) by Canadian primary care providers. Newcomers to Canada also tend to have poorer health outcomes when compared to Canadian-born individuals, and account for a disproportionate percentage of the DM2 population in Canada. Newcomers’ health is affected by acculturation to the Western diet/lifestyle and genetic predispositions. Several barriers to care, including poor English, lack of social supports, lower income, and lack of culturally sensitive care, contribute to lower healthcare utilization rates in this population. As the Canadian newcomer population continues to grow, healthcare providers must take an increasingly proactive, collaborative, and culturally sensitive approach to reduce the incidence of diabetes in this population. Since certain high-risk ethnic groups are more likely to progress from prediabetes to DM2 when compared to non-migrant Canadians, early screening and intervention among newcomers is critical. The purpose of this article is to identify the unique challenges and risk factors affecting Canadian newcomers, and prompt healthcare providers to provide early screening and culturally relevant information for this growing population.

A Client Perspective on Virtual Appointments With Their Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Erin Davis MN-LPNP, PHCNP, Jaymie-lynn Blanchard MScN, PHCNP — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0700

Abstract

Background: A systematic review was conducted using Covidence to examine the current literature on the transition to virtual care from a primary health care perspective during the pandemic. A total of 23 studies were extracted and further organized into a literature review table (Appendix A).

Methods: A cross-sectional study was then conducted using a multimodal survey design with a total of six questions to assess clients’ perspectives of virtual care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were recruited via telephone call from a generated list of clients who were marked as having had a virtual appointment through the NBNPLC during the pandemic. The interviews were conducted in October 2021.

Results: Overall, majority of participants were satisfied with their virtual appointment and would like an option in the future between virtual and in-person appointments.

Interpretation: Primary health care (PHC) within Ontario during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a transition from in-person visits to virtual appointments. Based on this quantitative and qualitative data, there is potential for sustainability with virtual care in the PHC setting however future client-centered research is needed to analyze client barriers to virtual care from an equitable standpoint, to understand if video calls rather than phone calls would be preferred as an alternative to face-to-face appointments, and to identify criteria to determine when virtual appointments rather than face-to-face appointments are warranted.

Keywords/Concepts: Virtual appointments, Primary Health Care (PHC), COVID-19, Client perspective, Nurse Practitioner