Problems, interventions and outcomes of older age clients in a free standing nurse practitioner managed clinic

Abstract

Medical reform is currently being debated at the highest level of government. Among the major issues are those related to access, quality of care and cost. The nursing profession is suggesting that one appropriate alternative related to these issues, is the utilization of Nurse Practitioners (NPs) as primary health care providers. This purpose of this study was to describe problems, interventions and outcomes of older age clients seen at one free standing HP managed clinic, which has been in existence for eleven years. The results of this study indicate that: (1) health care maintenance was the most frequently presenting non-episodic problem, (2) the interventions utilized were at the primary level of prevention and, (3) the majority of the problems were unresolved. These data will provide the framework needed for additional studies to be completed which might argue the appropriateness of this model.