Advanced Practice Clinicians and Physicians in Primary Care: Still More Questions than Answers

In this commentary, Gene Rich reflects both on a recent study and on the broader evidence about the role of physicians and advanced practice clinicians—including nurse practitioners and physician assistants—in treating common conditions in primary care. Recognizing that some responsibilities of the modern primary care practice do not require the medical knowledge and clinical skills of a physician, Rich considers some questions about how best to combine the skills of advanced practice clinicians and physicians to achieve efficient, comprehensive primary care.