THR Doubles Down On Medicare Population, Announces New Tailored Clinics [TX]
Posted almost 9 years ago by Nicholas M Perrino
The Good: THR is utilizing NPs to support the medical provider aspect of their clinic operations
The Bad: The insistence on it being "physician-led" and "physician-directed"
Perhaps as the U.S. health system continues to expand its provider base with NPs & PAs, and as those NPs & PAs become more autonomous/independent via legal and regulatory modernizations, arbitrarily appointing physicians as the "team leaders" is the transitional step here? Does this help calm the fears of some MDs/DOs worried about the rapid influx of non-physician providers?
Significant concerns with physician-led teams remain:
a) where is the evidence that shows this is the best model?
b) are physicians educated and trained in leading medical teams in school?
c) are physicians educated and trained in the roles of the NP & PA (e.g., historical/academic backgrounds, clinical responsibilities, legal and regulatory requirements, scope of practice, etc.)
"The model requires a staff of mid-levels, mostly nurse practitioners, who are supervised by a physician medical director in the Texas Health Physicians Group.
'The real takeaway on this is it's a physician-led, physician-directed but non physician-dependent care delivery model that really strives to have all the caregivers engaged to be performing appropriate care in the right setting,' said Dr. Dan Varga, chief clinical officer of Texas Health Resources.
'The APRNs (advanced practice registered nurses) will manage their own patients in partner with the physician, social workers, dietitians, and behavioral health caregivers,' Varga said."