Implications for the military health care system in utilizing non-physician providers. Part II, the utilization and staffing implications.

Abstract

This thesis is a continuation of a subject initiated by Lieutenant Brian R. Colfack, Medical Service Corps, U.S. Navy, who approached the utilization of Non Physician Providers (NPP) from the perspective of cost implications (Ref. 1). Colfack also discussed the history of the NPP movem.ent and the present mix of providers in the military sector. That thesis and the present work were undertaken as a part of the Naval Postgraduate School research project entitled "Navy Health Care Systems Professional and Paraprofessional Personnel Mix Study" sponsored by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower. The thesis begins with an examination of the civilian and military physician's assistant (PA) and nurse practitioner (NP) utilization patterns. Then, to the extent that information was available, staffing models for the non-physician health care provider from the civilian and military sector are discussed. Implications for military utilization of NPPs follow. Staffing implications are then discussed in light of the models examined. Finally, a summary and conclusions chapter attempt to generalize the findings of the literature and draw upon the findings presented by Colfack.