Growth in retail-based clinics after nurse practitioner scope of practice reform

Abstract

Background: Retail clinics are largely staffed by nurse practitioners (NPs) and are a popular destination for nonemergent care.

Purpose: We examined if there was a relationship between NP practice regulations and retail clinic growth after the passage of a scope of practice (SOP) reform bill in Pennsylvania.

Methods: General linear regression models were used to compare retail clinic openings in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland between 2006 and 2013.

Discussion: From 2006 to 2008, Pennsylvania experienced a significant growth rate in net retail clinic openings per capita (p = .046), whereas New Jersey and Maryland experienced no significant increase (p = .109 and .053, respectively). From 2009 to 2013, Pennsylvania opened 0.20 clinics (p = .129), New Jersey opened 0.23 clinics (p = .086), and Maryland opened 0.34 clinics per capita per year (p = .017).

Conclusions: Our study of three states with varying levels of SOP restraint reveals an association between relaxation of practice regulations and retail clinic growth.

Keywords: Nurse practitioners; Policy; Retail clinics; Scope of practice.