Fast Facts
Many clinics are owned and operated by NPs and PAs. Research shows there are over 8,500 NP/PA practice owners, and NPs in private NP practices prescribe an average of 29 RXs per day. PAs/NPs make up two out of every five providers. Numerous patients are sharing stories of PAs and NPs saving their lives due to their unique listening and communication skills, attention to detail, close patient-provider relationships, and focus on patient advocacy. A young girl named Sophie, whose NP diagnosed her Kawasaki’s Disease, says, “My NP saved me from a life-long heart condition.” A woman named Sasha, whose NP manages her life-threatening diabetes, says, “She prescribed the right medicine … I will always be grateful.” A patient named Robert, whose NP identified his blocked arteries feels he wouldn't be here today without his NP. A young mother named Stephanie with a life-threatening eating disorder credits her PA with saving her life by not only getting her the care she needed, but also showing deep compassion and going above and beyond to follow-up with daily calls to see how she was feeling and discuss symptoms. In primary care, most NPs/PAs see their own patients and only consult when necessary. In all specialties three out of five NPs/PAs have their own distinct set of patients (whom the physician does not typically see). 35% of Americans say they had trouble finding a doctor in the past two or three years. The 10-point jump from when the question was asked in 2015 shows the physician shortage is growing as patients are increasingly seeing PAs/NPs for their care. The medical director of the Bellevue Hospital in NY recently called PAs “the scaffolding that holds up our hospital.” PAs/NPs are in every single specialty and primary care. "I don’t think there’s a single disease process that the NP is not going to touch." (Angela Golden, Past AANP President) The AAMC expects the supply of NPs/PAs to more than double over the next 15 years. PAs/NPs rate higher than MDs on patient education. 55% of healthcare administrators in leadership positions say their practice will add new NPs/PAs this year. PAs/NPs hold key leadership positions in hospital management. As Laurie Benton, PhD, PA-C, System Director of APPs at Baylor Scott & White Health (the largest nonprofit health system in Texas) explains, “pretty much any of the committees we have here, I’m invited to be on.” A unique NP/PA strategy is more effective. To have both an immediate impact and to build long-lasting relationships, develop messaging and resources created specifically for NPs/PAs. "Respect NP/PA roles by specifically mentioning their titles and avoid making these prescribers feel overlooked, slighted, or misunderstood by lumping them in with physicians or nurses.” - PM360 Magazine NP beneficiaries receive, on average, approximately one more 30-day prescription per year than PCP beneficiaries. Data shows NPs and Primary Care Physicians have similar prescribing frequency and patterns with the same top 20 types of medications written including antihypertensives, antihyperlipidemics, antidiabetics, and antidepressants among others. The two provider types were also found to write similar proportions of generic medications vs. brand-name medications. The prescribing behavior of PAs also parallels that of physicians by the number of medications per visit, and the types of therapeutic classes. Top clinical focus areas of NPs include primary care, psychiatry, cardiovascular specialties, and oncology. The top five PA areas of practice include family care, surgery, emergency medicine, dermatology and cardiology. The PA clinical areas with the largest percentage growth over the past four years: 157% increase in pain medicine PAs, 57% in psychiatry PAs, 46% increase in critical care PAs, 33% increase in neurology PAs, 32% increase in oncology PAs, 30% increase in ENT PAs, and 28% increase in geriatrics PAs. Pharma and device companies are alienating PAs and NPs when they run TV commercials that say "talk to your doctor" which angers many PAs/NPs who feel overlooked by this language. PAs/NPs see about 40 million patients across the country each week. NPs/PAs prescribe more frequently than MDs for some drugs including psychotropic meds, antibiotics and pain medications. PAs/NPs are growing ten times as fast as MDs. NPs/PAs want to hear from NP/PA KOLs about new treatment options: "PAs really want to hear from PAs… we really crave hearing from our own." (Amanda Shelley, PA-C) University of Michigan researchers found that counties with the greatest need for healthcare had approximately 50% more NPs. 1 out of 6 PAs also works in high-need rural areas. Over 10,000 new PAs enter the workforce each year. Many clinics are NP owned and operated. There are over 7,000 NP practice owners, and over 12,000 NPs are in private NP practices prescribing an average of 29 RXs per day. NPs/PAs make up one out of every three providers. In one survey, 55% of NP-owned practices were primary care and 30% were specialty practices. Three out of five NPs/PAs have their own distinct set of patients (whom the physician does not typically see). More than half of PAs hold leadership roles. NP/PAs are in every single specialty and primary care. "I don’t think there’s a single disease process that the NP is not going to touch." (Angela Golden, Past AANP President) The AAMC expects the supply of NPs/PAs to more than double over the next 15 years. NPs/PAs rate higher than MDs on patient education. 55% of healthcare leaders say their practice will add new NPs/PAs this year. NPs/PAs hold key leadership positions in hospital management. As Laurie Benton, PA-C, System Director of APPs at Baylor Scott & White Health (the largest nonprofit health system in Texas) explains, “pretty much any of the committees we have here, I’m invited to be on.” A separate NP/PA strategy is more effective. To have both an immediate impact and to build long-lasting relationships, develop messaging and resources created specifically for NPs/PAs. "Respect NP/PA roles by specifically mentioning their titles and avoid making these prescribers feel overlooked, slighted, or misunderstood by lumping them in with physicians or nurses.” - PM360 Magazine NP beneficiaries receive, on average, approximately one more 30-day prescription per year than PCP beneficiaries. Data shows Nurse Practitioners and Primary Care Physicians have similar prescribing frequency and patterns with the same top 20 types of medications written including antihypertensives, antihyperlipidemics, antidiabetics, and antidepressants among others. The two provider types were also found to write similar proportions of generic medications vs. brand-name medications. Top clinical focus areas of NPs include primary care, psychiatry, cardiovascular specialties, and oncology. The top five PA areas of practice include family care, surgery, emergency medicine, dermatology and cardiology. The PA clinical areas with the largest percentage growth over the past four years: 157% increase in pain medeicine PAs, 57% in psychiatry PAs, 46% increase in critical care PAs, 33% increase in neurology PAs, 32% increase in oncology PAs, 30% increase in ENT PAs, and 28% increase in geriatrics PAs. More than half of primary care, internal medicine, dermatology, psychiatry and pain medicine PAs write over 50 prescriptions per week with the median ranging from 65 to 80. NPs/PAs see 28 million patients across the country each week. NPs/PAs prescribe more frequently than MDs for many drugs including monoclonal antibodies, psychotropic meds, opioids and antibiotics. NPs/PAs are growing four times as fast as MDs. NPs/PAs want to hear from NP/PA KOLs about new treatment options: "PAs really want to hear from PAs… we really crave hearing from our own." (Amanda Shelley, PA) University of Michigan researchers found that counties deemed the least healthy with the greatest healthcare needs had approximately 50% more NPs. 9,900 new PAs entered the workforce last year. 71% of family medicine MDs, 86% of gastroenterologists and 73% of urologists work with NPs/PAs. 9 in 10 consumers report they typically purchase an OTC recommended by their provider, and 98% of NPs either recommend or have no reservations recommending OTC medicines to their patients. NPs/PAs work autonomously or as partners with physicians in peer relationships. "When I worked alongside a physician, I was influencing his prescribing just as much as he might talk to me or influence mine." (Wendy Wright, Owner of two NP operated clinics and Past President of NPACE) The NP/PA-to-physician ratio is expected to increase from current levels of 10 NPs/PAs for every 22 physicians, to projected levels of 10 NPs/PAs for every 11 physicians by 2033 - a nearly 1:1 ratio. (Source: AAMC) NPs/PAs prescribers can improve patients’ adherence to medications because they provide more patient education and counseling than MDs. Some reports estimate the pharmaceutical industry loses $250 billion each year in the U.S. to non-adherence NP employment is forecasted to grow at a rate of 26% from now until 2028, PA employment is expected to grow at a rate of 31%, but physicians are only expected to grow at 3%. One of the top information sources for NPs/PAs is from their NP/PA colleagues. 70% report they turn to other NPs/PAs. "We want to hear from our own experts." (Angela Goldman, Past AANP President)
Roundtable Discussions
White Papers And Reports
Blogs
Podcasts and Ebooks

New Study: NPs Practice in Areas with Greatest Health Need

"New research published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine has revealed that..."

NPs Replacing MDs

"As of today 41% of U.S. providers are nurse practitioners (NPs) or physician assistants (PAs) which is up from..."

The Practitioners You’re Missing

"Like MDs, NPs and PAs prescribe in nearly every specialty and practice setting. NPs/PAs are seen for..."

Pharma Marketing Exec’s Best ROI Generator

"KOL Webinars were identified as the best ROI generator by more than 100 global pharma and..."

46,000 New NPs/PAs Enter Healthcare System

"Nearly 46,000 new NPs and PAs enter the healthcare system each year. Both the NP/PA professions are growing at..."

Thinking Outside the Pill Box

"It’s increasingly difficult to market meds to HCPs so how can pharma marketers think outside the pill box..."

The Push for Personalized Medicine

"Personalized medicine and shared decision making between HCPs and patients have increased in importance the last several years..."

#1 Reason Patients Switch Treatments

"A new survey of 8,000 patients revealed interesting insights for pharma marketers. According to the Accenture survey, 25%..."

Neurologists vs. NPs/PAs - Surprising Results

"Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and Physician Assistants (PAs) prescribe monoclonal antibody therapies significantly more than neurologists..."

Medication Adherence Revolutionized

"The FDA just approved a pill with a digital tracking device that patients swallow to record when the medication is taken..."

Prior Authorization Headaches for Pharma Brand Managers

"About 86% of medical practice leaders reported that prior authorization (PA) requirements have increased over the past year..."

HCP Recommendations are Vital for Clinical Trial Recruitment

"Less than 20% of U.S. patients said a healthcare professional (HCP) has talked to them about clinical trial studies..."

HCPs’ Dismal Awareness of Pharma’s Patient Services

"Only 40% of healthcare professionals (HCPs) are ‘very aware’ of pharma companies’ patient services, and the reason HCPs..."

The Silver Tsunami’s Effect on Pharma

"The “silver tsunami” is a metaphor used in the media and scholarly literature to describe this phenomenon of an aging population..."

Healthcare Robotics and the HCP

"A recent report by Credence Research estimated the global medical robotics market will reach $20 billion by 2023..."

Three “P”s Healthcare Marketers Must Chase

"As the healthcare landscape changes, three targets emerge as the groups that will determine the success or failure of pharma..."

Three MD to NP Comparisons

"A new study shows Nurse Practitioner (NP) visits correlate to a big drop in hospital admissions. Hospitalization rates plummeted 61%..."

Pharma Rep Access in Decline

"Less than 44% of physicians are accessible to pharma reps this year compared to 51% in 2014 and 65% in 2012. Nearly a decade of data..."

The Simple Pharma Executive Mistake Lowering Drug Sales

"Studies show that patients think meds with simple names are safer and equally effective while drug brands become more difficult to pronounce..."

Physician Assistants In the News

"Physician Assistants (PAs) continue to dominate the healthcare news. One recent article describes the ability and training of a PA..."

NPs More in Demand Than Docs

"Nurse practitioners (NPs) topped the list of most recruited providers in the annual report on physician and advanced practitioner..."

The Biggest Issue Facing Clinical Trials

"Last week was Clinical Trials Awareness Week. The Coalition for Clinical Trials Awareness (CCTA) is a nonprofit group of HCPs..."

Pharma Reputation Tanks

"Only nine percent of U.S. consumers believe pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies put patients over profits according to a Harris Poll released in Janurary..."

How to Change Prescribing Behavior

"Recent studies show proof of successful ways to change HCP behavior. Changing the prescribing behavior of HCPs isn’t easy and requires..."

CE and KOL Webinars Soar

"Healthcare professionals are excited about the growth of Continuing Education (CE) and Key Opinion Leader (KOL) webinars which have quickly..."

Nurse Prescribers?

"Nurse practitioners and many advanced practices nurses (APRNs) can currently prescribe medications in the U.S. Though registered nurses (RNs)..."

Pharma ROI Doubled through This Channel

"Have you compared ROI for TV versus online marketing for the pharma industry? ROI for digital marketing in the pharma industry ranges from 4:1..."

How Scripts Increased 20%

"A recent survey showed that during the period NP/PA Engage handled NP/PA promotion for a big pharma, the drug usage by this population..."

Do NPs / PAs Specialize?

"Although many NPs and PAs work in family care, the majority specialize. For almost every medication, condition, and specialty area, there are NPs..."

Do You Know How Much Pharma Loses Due to Nonadherence?

"Pharma companies lose $188 billion each year because patients don’t take their meds.1 Let’s delve deeper into three specific ideas pharma marketers..."

Infographic on Medication Adherence

"This infographic illustrates the prevalence of two types of medication nonadherence and the consequences for patients, the healthcare system..."

The Pharma Executives’ Thanksgiving Blog

"In the spirit of Thanksgiving, here are four reasons why pharma execs should thank not just physicians, but the often neglected members..."

The Cost of Premature Medication Discontinuation

"Stats indicate 6 in 10 don’t take medications as directed including forgetting and intentionally cutting the dose or stopping a medication early..."

Solving Pharma’s Primary Nonadherence Problem

"The CDC reports 20 to 30% of new prescriptions are never filledat the pharmacy (called primary nonadherence). A recent study found an even higher..."

Are NPs/PAs More Like MDs or RNs?

" NPs and PAs are a distinct group who prescribe and are authorized and educated to do much more than an RN or LPN. Don’t just provide NPs/PAs..."

MDs and NPs Prescribing Habits

"The stats indicate these providers are basically on par with physicians. Numerous studies show NPs/PAs prescribe as often as MDs and are not simply relegated..."

Pharma Insults NPs/PAs

"You don’t have to search far on social media and other outlets to find the frustration NPs and PAs express about being referred to with words..."

Top Prescribers

"Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants are among the top prescribers for some drugs. For example, for Olysio (a hepatitis treatment), three..."

Pill Color Matters

"Patients are up to 50% more likely to stop taking a medication if its color changes,which often happens when a script is refilled with a generic..."
Podcast
LEARN MORE
Schedule a Capabilities Presentation
Contact Us
close icon