19 SEPTEMBER 2023Medical and nursing practice regulations for PAs and NPs are currently made at the state level and vary greatly throughout the nation. Depending on the state in which you practice, there may be cumbersome administrative restrictions which are placed on the advanced practice provider. During the recent Covid-19 pandemic, short term state legislative changes were passed in many states to temporarily remove these restrictions. These changes allowed much more flexibility for the APPs to pivot and be used where the needs were the greatest. The American Academy of Physician Associates, which is the PA national professional organization, is promoting Optimal Team Practice (OTP). OTP will allow PAs to practice under their medical license without additional administrative burden when working in a team setting. The national nursing associations are promoting Full Practice Authority (FPA) to remove their administrative burdens. Nurses have passed some form of FPA in 32 states and the District of Columbia.As the statistics show, access to primary care is increasingly becoming more difficult. Is it time to think differently about how that care is delivered? Team-based care is defined by the National Academy of Medicine (formerly known as the Institute of Medicine) as "...the provision of health services to individuals, families, and/or their communities by at least two health providers who work collaboratively with patients and their caregivers--to the extent preferred by each patient--to accomplish shared goals within and across settings to achieve coordinated, high-quality care." Team Based Care allows each member of a team to work at the top of their license and training to offer the best and most cost-effective care to their patients. This applies not only to medical providers but also to ancillary staff. High functioning teams are more efficient than the sum of their parts. The future of health care delivery will require teams of healthcare professionals working together to provide patient-centered care. Physicians and APPs working in primary care share a commitment to providing the most innovative and highest quality care. This type of interdependent care will become increasingly critical to any healthcare system of the future. Is it time to fully embrace Team Based Healthcare in Primary Care? Absolutely! It is past time to remove any restrictive barriers to practice and to fully embrace the Team concept. We owe it to our patients, and it is crucial to preserve the future of primary care. It is past time to remove any restrictive barriers to practice and to fully embrace the Team concept. We owe it to our patients, and it is crucial to preserve the future of primary care
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