JAAPA

Examine availability of physician assistants (PAs) or nurse practitioners (NPs) in primary care physician practices by state and by state PA and NP scope-of-practice laws.|Availability of PAs and NPs in primary care practices was examined in multivariate analysis using a 2012 state-based, nationally representative survey of office-based physicians. Covariates included practice characteristics, state, and in a separate model, PA and NP scope-of-practice variables.|After controlling for practice characteristics, higher use of PAs and NPs was found in three states (Minnesota, Montana, and South Dakota). In a separate model, higher use of PAs or NPs was associated with favorable PA scope-of-practice laws, but not with NP scope-of-practice laws.|Higher availability of PAs or NPs was associated with favorable PA scope-of-practice laws. Lack of association between PA or NP availability and NP scope-of-practice laws requires further investigation.20152020-09-11T00:00:00ZCC999999/ImCDC/Intramural CDC HHS/United States26302324PMC7485128841