Primary care outcomes in patients treated by nurse practitioners or physicians: two-year follow-up.
This study reports results of the 2-year follow-up phase of a randomized study comparing outcomes of patients assigned to a nurse practitioner or a physician primary care practice. In the sample of 406 adults, no differences were found between the groups in health status, disease-specific physiologic measures, satisfaction or use of specialist, emergency room or inpatient services. Physician patients averaged more primary care visits than nurse practitioner patients. The results are consistent with the 6-month findings and with a growing body of evidence that the quality of primary care delivered by nurse practitioners is equivalent to that by physicians.
Lenz
Elizabeth R
ER
Ohio State University, OH, USA.
Mundinger
Mary O'Neil
MO
Kane
Robert L
RL
Hopkins
Sarah C
SC
Lin
Susan X
SX
D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City; D009722:Nurse Practitioners; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010820:Physicians; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D011787:Quality of Health Care