The 2010 IOM Report: The Impact on the Future of Nurse Practitioners
Alexis A. Voigt
Grand Canyon University: NRS-430V Professional Dynamics
August 23, 2012

The 2010 IOM Report: The Impact on the Future of Nurse Practitioners In response to the 2001 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report on the need for healthcare reform, the IOM released a comprehensive report on future needs in the field of nursing to ensure the success of the reformation. One aspect that was reported on was the need for more Nurse Practitioners (NP) being employed in community health and primary care facilities. This need requires expansion in the NP’s scope of practice and educational requirements but is essential to providing comprehensive care in our communities. Nurse Practitioners in Primary Care Nurse practitioners currently account for 83,000 of primary care providers, along with 287,000 physicians, and 23,000 physician assistants, which is an increase in ratio from 0.23 to 0.48 in NP’s per physicians between 2005 and 2009. (IOM, 2011) Considering the significant decrease in medical students entering into primary care and the increased need for primary care in the patient center care model presented by projected healthcare reform, NP’s are needed more than ever before. (IOM, 2011) If NP’s take on the majority of cases in primary care that are of low to moderate complexity it will leave more availability for physicians to work with patients with higher complexity. NP’s have a reputation for taking a holistic approach to patient care and give better counsel in total lifestyle changes to better the health of their patients. Physicians tend to focus more on the problem, not the person (AMA, 2009). In the IOM’s purposed reform in healthcare to patient centered care, the NP’s holistic approach to primary care would be most beneficial. Physician’s are threatened by the increase