title: Growth in retail-based clinics after nurse practitioner scope of practice reform.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Retail clinics are largely staffed by nurse practitioners (NPs) and are a popular destination for nonemergent care.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We examined if there was a relationship between NP practice regulations and retail clinic growth after the passage of a scope of practice (SOP) reform bill in Pennsylvania.
  
  
  METHODS
  General linear regression models were used to compare retail clinic openings in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland between 2006 and 2013.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  From 2006 to 2008, Pennsylvania experienced a significant growth rate in net retail clinic openings per capita (p = .046), whereas New Jersey and Maryland experienced no significant increase (p = .109 and .053, respectively). From 2009 to 2013, Pennsylvania opened 0.20 clinics (p = .129), New Jersey opened 0.23 clinics (p = .086), and Maryland opened 0.34 clinics per capita per year (p = .017).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study of three states with varying levels of SOP restraint reveals an association between relaxation of practice regulations and retail clinic growth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family & Community Health, Center for Health Outcomes & Policy Research, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA. Electronic address: jmbrooks@nursing.upenn.edu.
authors.forename: J Margo
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Brooks Carthon
authors.affiliation: Department of Family & Community Health, Center for Health Outcomes & Policy Research, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA.
authors.forename: Therese
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sammarco
authors.affiliation: Department of Family & Community Health, Center for Health Outcomes & Policy Research, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA.
authors.forename: Darcy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pancir
authors.affiliation: Department of Family & Community Health, Center for Health Outcomes & Policy Research, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA.
authors.forename: Jesse
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chittams
authors.affiliation: Department of Family & Community Health, Center for Health Outcomes & Policy Research, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA.
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wiltse Nicely
mesh_terms: D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards*; D018166:Health Care Reform; D006801:Humans; D008396:Maryland; D009515:New Jersey; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D010414:Pennsylvania; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000458:organization & administration*
keywords: Nurse practitioners; Policy; Retail clinics; Scope of practice