• Maribeth Williams, Stephen M Carek, Arch G Mainous, John Malaty, Jihane Naous, and Peter J Carek.
• From the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (MW, AGM, JN); Prisma Health-Upstate, Greenville, SC (SMC, PJC), USC School of Medicine, Greenville, SC (PJC).
• J Am Board Fam Med. 2024 Jan 5; 36 (6): 105810611058-1061.

BackgroundNurse practitioners (NP), physician assistants (PA), and other advanced practice providers (APP) are one solution to meet health care workforce shortage. Our study examined clinical workforce decisions and perceptions of APPs and family physicians (FPs) from the perspective of a national survey chairs of Departments of Family Medicine.MethodsA survey was developed and distributed to family medicine department chairs as identified by the Association of Departments of Family Medicine (ADFM). In addition to demographic information, respondents were asked if their department directly employs APPs, major factors influencing departments of family medicine to hire APPs, services to patients currently being provided by APPs, and services preferentially provided by APPs. Descriptive statistics were reviewed. Bivariate analyses and Chi-square were computed comparing perceptions of APPs and FPs by how these types of health care providers are currently used in the respondent's clinical operation.ResultsThe overall response rate for the survey was 48.4% (109/225). Most departments of family medicine (62.4%) use APPs. Access to care and filing gaps in team-based care are the primary factors for APP employment. Although most departments have APPs provide services that include complex chronic conditions complicated by coexisting conditions or not yet controlled, most department chairs do not prefer APPs provide these services.DiscussionThe role APPs in terms of specific patient care activities and services in the health care team of departments of family medicine is often in conflict with preferred roles as delineated by the chair.© Copyright by the American Board of Family Medicine.

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