Advocating for Washington state ARNP payment parity.

Workforce and reimbursement data were collected from a 2018 survey of Washington state advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs). Survey results will be used to improve workforce planning and advocate for payment parity legislation requiring health plans to pay ARNPs the same as physicians for the same service.

The macroeconomic benefits of Tennessee APRNs having full practice authority.

BACKGROUND: To-date, advocacy efforts to advance full practice authority for APRNs have primarily stressed arguments based on evidence on the cost effectiveness and quality of APRN-provided care, as well as the improved care access and patient satisfaction these providers offer. PURPOSE: The economic impact analysis forecasts the additional job and economic output associated with granting Tennessee APRNs full practice authority. METHODS: The IMPLAN software and a variety of data inputs were used to estimate the direct, indirect, and induced economic impact on jobs, labor income, value-added benefits, total output, and tax revenues. FINDINGS: From a 2017 baseline, the cumulative impact of granting Tennessee APRNs full practice authority is a net gain of 25,536 jobs and $3.2 billion in economic impact. DISCUSSION: Granting Tennessee APRNs full practice authority would confer substantial economic benefits and employment opportunities to the state.

Demonstrating advanced practice provider value: Implementing a new advanced practice provider billing algorithm.

BACKGROUND: Rapid changes in health care are driving the adjustment of work flow by which providers serve patients in team-based care. Specifically, there is a need to develop more effective and efficient utilization with accurate attribution of advanced practice providers' (APPs) productivity. LOCAL PROBLEM: The Directors of the APP-Best Practice Center conducted assessments of each clinical area at MUSC Health, a large academic medical center. A knowledge gap was identified, not only regarding billing practices of the APPs (nurse practitioners/physician assistants) but also in the utilization of APPs to practice to the fullest extent of their license, education, and experience. METHODS: By substantiating APPs' contribution margin through the process of implementing a new standardized APP billing algorithm, a change in practice was accepted by senior leadership and a new APP billing algorithm was built while following updated practice laws, compliance/legal standards, and hospital bylaws/regulations. INTERVENTIONS: A new billing algorithm was implemented on July 1, 2017, and outcomes were evaluated 12 months after implementation. RESULTS: This project uncovered the work already performed by APPs while increasing relative value units, collections, and overall patient encounters by the APP/physician team. Findings suggest improved utilization and appropriate attribution of productivity. CONCLUSIONS: With the APP work force growing, the implementation of electronic medical record systems, and today's health care financial constraints, it is imperative that health care systems standardize their billing practices. The APP billing algorithm is a critical tool that will help to meet this demand.

Demonstrating advanced practice provider value: Implementing a new advanced practice provider billing algorithm.

BACKGROUND: Rapid changes in healthcare are driving the adjustment of work flow by which providers serve patients in team-based care. Specifically, there is a need to develop more effective and efficient utilization with accurate attribution of advanced practice providers' (APPs) productivity. LOCAL PROBLEM: The directors of the APP-Best Practice Center conducted assessments of each clinical area at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Health, a large academic medical center. A knowledge gap was identified, not only regarding billing practices of the APPs (NPs and physician assistants) but also in the use of APPs to practice to the fullest extent of their license, education, and experience. METHODS: By substantiating APPs' contribution margin through the process of implementing a new standardized APP billing algorithm, a change in practice was accepted by senior leadership and a new APP billing algorithm was built that follows updated practice laws, compliance/legal standards, and hospital bylaws and regulations. INTERVENTIONS: A new billing algorithm was implemented on July 1, 2017, and outcomes were evaluated 12 months after implementation. RESULTS: This project uncovered the work already performed by APPs while increasing relative value units, collections, and overall patient encounters by the APP/physician team. Findings suggest improved utilization and appropriate attribution of productivity. CONCLUSIONS: With the APP workforce growing, the implementation of electronic medical record systems, and today's healthcare financial constraints, healthcare systems must standardize their billing practices. The APP billing algorithm is a critical tool that will help to meet this demand.

Benefits of Less Restrictive Regulation of Advance Practice Registered Nurses in Florida.

BACKGROUND: Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) provide access to cost-effective, high quality care. APRNs are underutilized in states that restrict their practice. Removing restrictions could expand access to quality health care, cost-effectively relieve the physician shortage, and contribute economically. PURPOSE: This study forecasts the health system and economic impacts of reducing practice restrictions for Florida APRNs. METHODS: The analysis utilized a number of data sources and IMPLAN software and estimated changes in APRN supply given less restrictive practice laws, and consequential health system and economic benefits. FINDINGS: Between 2013 and 2025 APRN full time equivalents could increase an additional 11% with less restrictive practice regulations. This could eliminate or reduce the shortage of different types of physicians. Health care cost-savings could be $50 to $493 per resident. There would be a number of general economic benefits. DISCUSSION: A number of health system and economic benefits would ensue from less restrictive APRN regulation.

Collaborative Leadership, Part 2: The Role of the Nurse Leader in Interprofessional Team-Based Practice - Shifting from Task- to Collaborative Patient-/Family-Focused Care.

This paper presents a discussion on the key role that nurses assume with their patients and also with other health providers. We will argue that a change is needed to provide "space" for nurses to re-engage with their patients and to return to their key coordinating role between their patients, their family members and other health providers in interprofessional patient and family-centred collaborative practice. Furthermore, we will discuss the important role of nurse leaders to present the nurses' unique role and importance to health system administrators and policy makers to improve health outcomes of patients and how their role can concomitantly reduce healthcare costs.

Integration of Palliative Care Advanced Practice Nurses Into Intensive Care Unit Teams.

BACKGROUND: Referrals to palliative care for patients at the end of life in the intensive care unit (ICU) often happen late in the ICU stay, if at all. The integration of a palliative medicine advanced practice nurse (APN) is one potential strategy for proactively identifying patients who could benefit from this service. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between the integration of palliative medicine APNs into the routine operations of ICUs and hospital costs at 2 different institutions, Montefiore Medical Center (MMC) and Rush University Medical Center. METHODS: The association between collaborative palliative care consultation service programs and hospital costs per patient was evaluated for the 2 institutions. Hospital costs were compared for patients with and without a referral to palliative care using Mann-Whitney U tests. RESULTS: Hospital nonroom and board costs at the Weiler campus of MMC were significantly lower for patients with palliative care compared with those who did not receive palliative care (Median = US$6643 vs US$12 399, P < .001). Cost differences for ICU patients with and without palliative care at Rush University Medical Center were not significantly different. CONCLUSION: Our evaluation suggests that the integration of APNs into a palliative care team for case finding may be a promising strategy, but more work is needed to determine whether reductions in cost are significant.

Increasing Cardiomyopathy Screening in Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Cost Analysis of Advanced Practice Nurse Phone Counseling.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To document the per survivor and per additional survivor screening costs of a mailed survivorship care plan (SCP) with advanced practice nurse (APN) telephone counseling (SCP+C) or without APN telephone counseling (SCP).
. DESIGN: Randomized, longitudinal clinical trial.
. SETTING: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.
. SAMPLE: 411 at-risk pediatric cancer survivors (aged 26-59 years), stratified by age (younger than 30 years versus 30 years or older), recommended screening frequency (every one, two, or five years), gender, and cancer diagnosis (hematologic versus solid tumor).
. METHODS: Clinical and resource data costs were derived from trial data and external estimates.
. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: The cost-effectiveness of left ventricular systolic function screening per survivor and per each additional survivor screened.
. FINDINGS: The per-survivor costs of SCP (n = 206) and SCP+C (n = 205) were $74.91 and $224.69, respectively. The estimated costs of SCP and SCP+C per additional survivor screened for two years disseminated in a medium-sized clinic (n = 101 survivors annually) were $345.41 and $293.85, respectively.
. CONCLUSIONS: Adding APN counseling to a printed SCP may help preserve cardiac health at little or no cost per additional survivor screened.
. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: APN counseling is cost-effective and superior to the standard of care in supporting at-risk survivors' cardiac screening participation.

Cost Analysis of an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Transitional Care Model for Cardiac Patients.

Interest in care transitions has intensified in light of emphasis placed on hospital readmissions. This study provides a comparative analysis of the costs of providing transitional care through a program for cardiac patients against hospital readmission costs. The advanced practice registered nurse-managed BRIDGE model reduced health care costs associated with readmissions that were in excess of program costs. On average, there was a per-patient savings of $4,944 in avoided readmissions within 30 days of hospital discharge. Over the duration of the program, this equates to a $306,537 savings in patients with acute coronary syndrome. Nurse practitioners have a unique, holistic, and supportive approach to providing care that may make them ideal for the transitional care setting.

An Incentive Pay Plan for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses: Impact On Provider and Organizational Outcomes.

Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are integral to the provision of quality, cost-effective health care throughout the continuum of care. To promote job satisfaction and ultimately decrease turnover, an APRN incentive plan based on productivity and quality was formulated. Clinical productivity in the incentive plan was measured by national benchmarks for work relative value units for nonphysician providers. After the first year of implementation, APRNs were paid more for additional productivity and quality and the institution had an increase in patient visits and charges. The incentive plan is a win-win for hospitals that employ APRNs.

Economic benefits of less restrictive regulation of advanced practice nurses in North Carolina.

BACKGROUND: With looming provider shortages and increased demand for health care, many states are looking for low-cost ways to alleviate the shortages. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the economic impact of less restrictive regulations for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) in North Carolina. METHOD: We use economic impact analysis to demonstrate the economic impacts of making state scope-of-practice regulations on APRNs less restrictive in North Carolina. Outcomes include economic output, value-added, payroll compensation, employment, and tax revenue for North Carolina and for various subregions. DISCUSSION: If North Carolina adopted the same approach to APRN regulation as the least restrictive states, its economy will benefit from substantial increases in economic output and employment. The state will also see increases in tax revenue. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to substantially shrinking the size of projected physician shortages, allowing full scope-of-practice for APRNs will bring significant economic benefits to the state of North Carolina. Our analysis should be helpful to policy makers considering ways to deal with provider shortages.

Basic principles to consider when opening a nurse practitioner-owned practice in Texas.

PURPOSE: Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)-owned clinics in Texas are becoming more common and because of the success of these early clinics, more APRNs are considering opening their own practice; but Texas remains one of the most restrictive states for APRN practice and many questions remain. What are the regulations about physician delegation? Will you get reimbursed from insurance companies and at what rates? Can you be a primary care provider (PCP)? DATA SOURCES: Changes enacted after the adoption of Senate Bill 406 improved the opportunities for APRNs in Texas yet several requirements must be met and early consultation with a lawyer and accountant can facilitate the initial business setup. The Prescriptive Authority Agreement simplified the delegation requirements and allows the APRN increased flexibility in obtaining and consulting with a delegating physician. Becoming credentialed as a PCP with private insurance companies is often complicated; however, utilizing the Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare's Universal Provider Data source for initial credentialing can facilitate this. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATION FOR PRACTICE: Although this article does not discuss the financial implications of opening a practice, it does cover many aspects including legislative and regulatory requirements for practice, credentialing process and challenges, business structure, and tax implications.

Collaboration, not competition: cost analysis of neonatal nurse practitioner plus neonatologist versus neonatologist-only care models.

BACKGROUND: Although advanced practice in neonatal nursing is accepted and supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics and National Association of Neonatal Nurse Practitioners, less than one-half of all states allow independent prescriptive authority by advanced practice nurse practitioners. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare costs of a collaborative practice model that includes neonatal nurse practitioner (NNP) plus neonatologist (Neo) versus a neonatologist only (Neo-Only) practice in Washington state. Published Internet median salary figures from 3 sources were averaged to produce mean ± SD provider salaries, and costs for each care model were calculated in this descriptive, comparative study. FINDINGS/RESULTS: Median NNP versus Neo salaries were $99,773 ± $5206 versus $228,871 ± $9654, respectively (P < .0001). The NNP + Neo (5 NNP/3 Neo full-time equivalents [FTEs]) cost $1,185,475 versus Neo-Only (8 Neo FTEs) cost $1,830,960. The NNP + Neo practice model with 8 FTEs suggests a cost savings, with assumed equivalent reimbursement, of $645,485/year. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: These results may provide the impetus for more states to adopt broader scope of practice licensure for NNPs. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH: These data may provide rationale for analysis of actual costs and outcomes of collaborative practice.

Insurance is essential.

Among all the sectors of UK healthcare, cosmetic surgery poses some of the biggest challenges for nurses, with the most significant issue being professional indemnity.

Cost-effectiveness of a WOC advanced practice nurse in the acute care and outpatient setting.

Increasing numbers of advanced practice nurses who practice within the WOC specialty are challenged by the need to justify their role by demonstrating clinical and fiscal benefits to the employing agency. This View From Here column describes the steps I took while completing such an analysis for a position for a nurse practitioner with WOC certification in upstate New York.