Study: NPs with wider scope of practice can lower costs in retail clinics

Retail clinics are often staffed by nurse practitioners (NPs), whose services are regulated by state scope-of-practice regulations. By limiting NPs’ work scope, restrictive regulations could affect possible cost savings, according to a study in the November issue of Health Affairs. Researchers examined multistate insurance claims data from 2004 to 2007 and analyzed whether the cost per episode associated with the use of retail clinics was lower in states where NPs are allowed to practice independently and to prescribe independently.

The study also sought to determine whether retail clinic use and scope of practice were associated with emergency department visits and hospitalizations. “We found that visits to retail clinics were associated with lower costs per episode, compared to episodes of care that did not begin with a retail clinic visit, and the costs were even lower when NPs practiced independently. Eliminating restrictions on NPs’ scope of practice could have a large impact on the cost savings that can be achieved by retail clinics,” the researchers stated.