Why Do I Sometimes See A Nurse Practitioner Instead of a Doctor at my Appointment?
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Q: Why Do I Sometimes See A Nurse Practitioner Instead of a Doctor at my Appointment?
A: Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and Physician Associates (PAs), called Advanced Practice Providers (APPs), are becoming more and more common in clinics and hospitals throughout the country, including Campbell County Health.
Nurse Practitioners and Physician Associates are part of a team that also includes the nursing staff. Having another provider helps doctors see more patients, and see those patients more efficiently.
Medicine is moving to more of a team approach to take advantage of everyone's unique talents and use our collective understanding in enhancing patient care.
It’s all about collaboration. APP’s training complements MD’s training, and it’s a big advantage to have two different perspectives when it comes to developing a care plan for a patient.
In addition to seeing patients in the clinic, doctors perform all surgical procedures, either in the clinic or in the operating room. NPs and PAs see their own panel of patients under a doctor's supervision, and they bring any concerns forward for discussion.
At CCH, our approach is similar to a racing team. Even though the driver is in the spotlight, there is no success without the efforts of the whole team. In our view, the patient is the driver.
Wouldn’t you rather have more people with different areas of expertise working to help you get better?
Advanced Practice Providers can:
Order, perform and interpret diagnostic tests
Diagnose and treat acute and chronic conditions
Prescribe medications and other treatments
Manage patients’ overall care
Counsel and educate patients on disease prevention and positive health and lifestyle choices.
At Campbell County Health, your family’s health is our number one priority. Need to schedule an appointment? Start by calling our Family Medicine Clinic: 307-688-3636
Original Article written by Attila Barabas, MD Urology