Care Provider Shortage Proposal Nursing Writing Assignment

Care Provider Shortage Proposal
Name
Institutional Affiliation

Executive Summary
The health care systems face a challenge in meeting the needs and expectations of patients in the primary care services. The increasingly aging population and high numbers of chronic diseases have aggravated the problem over time. Various initiates have been adopted to mitigate the challenge, including temporary motivational programs and commission of funds to facilitate training new practitioners. Nevertheless, there is the limited success of these programs due to the fact that training of medical practitioners takes long and temporary incentives only work for a while. The intent of this proposal is to provide a solution that can be implemented by state and federal policymakers to facilitate primary health care service delivery by an advanced - practice registered nurses (APRNs) working on the behavior health disorder prevention and treatment. The solutions offered include long lasting motivation for the current workers through payment reforms, as well as care delivery reforms, innovative training programs and scholarships to enhance working in rural areas. The limitation is that these initiatives are costly while they might have fewer returns.

Care Provider Shortage Proposal
Organization Information
There have been increased concerns of policymakers, health care organizations, professionals, and the general public to increase productivity, enhance availability, and improve patient outcomes. There is accumulating evidence that the existing primary care system is overloaded and deficient of the capacity to fulfill the needs of the people. The challenges in primary health care are fuelled by the high shortage of primary care providers coupled with an increase in the aging population and people suffering from chronic diseases who need these services. There is no doubt that nurse practitioners represent the largest group of health care providers across the world in formal health care systems. According to Naylor and Kurtzman (2010), in the past few decades, there has been a steady growth in the number of registered nurses to above 2.9 million. In this context, there has been an increase in the number of advanced-practice registered nurses (APRNs). APRNs are trained individuals who are regulated by professional bodies to deliver care with compliance with regulations and professional ethics outlined in each state.
The role of APRNs who include midwives, clinical nurse specialists, and nurse practitioners makes them key players in the provision of primary health care. These health professionals deliver primary care in large, small, private and public health centers. The role of APRNs can be achieved in both independent and collaborative approaches to health care provision. Additionally, they are often leaders in clinical settings, hold management positions, as well as practice accountability in providing innovative primary care, such as retail clinics (Naylor & Kurtzman, 2010). The aim of this proposal is to offer a strategic approach of initiatives that state and federal policymakers can embrace to facilitate primary health care service delivery by an advanced - practice registered nurses working on the behavior health disorder prevention and treatment.
Background
The challenge of an undersupply of primary care practitioners in the US is an issue that needs attention from state and federal policy makers. Naylor and Kurtzman (2010) allude that there is a need for a strategic approach to the problem due to the overall increase in senior citizens while health reforms have led to increased coverage. Subsequently, there will be an increased demand for primary care in the future. Professionals who are engaged in the provision of primary care are those who have received postgraduate medical training, and they include physicians, APRNs, and physician assistants. The training can be in family medicine, pediatrics, or internal medicine (Krieger, 2015).
The level of shortage in the provision of health care varies due to differences in data collection and measurements in various studies. Although, most national studies reveal that the supply of primary caregivers is increasing, but it is not sufficient for the existing demand, and this might rise in the future. The target is one primary health care provider for two thousand patients. From this perspective, Krieger (2015) reports that there is a need for 17,722 primary care providers is required to fill gaps in regions with shortages across the nation. Projections into the future show that with the US aging population will require 35,000 to 44,000 providers by 2025 (Krieger, 2015).
As people and the government demand better health care services, the legal reforms are likely to advocate for increased primary health care services. For instance, Krieger (2015) alludes that the legal provisions are required to improve health care coverage to approximately 32 million people who lack insurance coverage by 2019. Resultantly, there will be an increase in demand for primary health care. Subsequently, the shortage of primary care personnel is expected to reach forty-five thousand by 2020. The increased demand due to these provisions will be unevenly distributed in different states. A review by Krieger (2015) shows that studies indicate that states that receive the largest percentage increase in the number of people in Medicaid coverage tend to have considerable low supplies of primary health care providers. Additionally, primary care providers are less in states that have few urban areas. Fundamentally, there is an enormous variation in the availability of primary health care providers in urban and rural areas. From this context, the professionals prefer working in urban environments. Krieger (2015) argues that the rural and urban variation seems to have a greater impact on the overall primary care provider supply compared to the Medicaid compensation rates and the willingness to accept patients covered by the program.
Other initiatives that are likely to emerge from policies in the health sector include primary-care centered systems that are efficient in managing medical costs. In line with this, the governments will encourage more primary care and preventive services to avoid the costlier specialized care services when diagnosed with a particular disease. Also, the implementation of patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs) may increase the need for a larger primary care workforce.
Statement of Need
Behavioral health disorders that include mental illness and drug abuse are some of the challenges facing the health system. Notably, these conditions are among the main chronic conditions and causes of disability among the people (Edelstein, 2014). The increase in these conditions can relatively be attributed to the shortage of primary health care providers. Behavioral health disorders are experienced across all social classes, ethnicities, and ages making it a crucial issue for policymakers in the health sector. People suffering from behavioral health disorders require constant observation, treatment, and professional solutions that are limited by a small workforce in primary care (Krieger, 2015). The expansion of health insurance coverage fostered by the Affordable Care Act of 2010 to over thirty million people shows that more people suffering from behavioral disorders will be brought to the scene (Edelstein, 2014). Resultantly, there will be increased demand for primary health care workers.
The government took the initiative in the Fiscal Year 2012 to invest ten million dollars through the Affordable Care Act to increase services for mental and behavioral health care (Abrams, Nuzum, Mika, & Lawlor, 2011). The monies were channeled in training that was meant to enhance the number of health providers that were adequately prepa...