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Project Overview

Introduction

The U.S. healthcare system is largely based on a “medical model” of care that relies on physicians to be the “gatekeepers” to services. As medical specialization has grown, there has been a parallel growth in sophisticated medical technology and treatment to the exclusion of needed basic primary healthcare services. Innovative advances in healthcare make frequent headlines, but there is an equally innovative, if somewhat misunderstood, treatment for the cost and accessibility woes plaguing the U.S. healthcare system.

Advanced practice nurses are capable of providing much of that needed basic care. Most preventive and primary healthcare does not require the expensive specialization that characterizes physician education today. It has been suggested that 60% to 80% of primary and preventive care traditionally done by doctors can be done by an advanced practice nurse at a substantially lower cost.

Advanced practice nurses aren’t “low-priced doctor substitutes”. APN’s are skilled in performing a wide range of initial, or primary, health services, especially screening and preventive services, that if ignored can lead to far more serious and costly health problems down the line. Thus, it can be suggested that APN’s are not only cost-effective, but can also improve the quality of our healthcare system.

Project Deliverables  

This paper will be worth 40% of your final grade and will be due during Week 8 of the course.

DIRECTIONS:  Submit a 5-8 page paper, using APA format and a minimum of 4 references properly cited.

Research-based report that substantiates the two primary claims cited in the Introduction section above – (1) that APNs can substantially lower healthcare costs and that (2) this can be done while improving patient outcomes. Your report should cite specific studies and research reports that support these two claims.. This report should contain the following sections:

• Executive Summary
• Introduction and Background
• Economic Impact of APNs on the Healthcare Delivery System
• The Impact of APNs on the Quality of Healthcare
• Summary and Conclusions
• Future Challenges: Maximizing the Value of APNs (Your own views)
• Reference Bibliography (4 minimum of properly cited)