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Home Research Research Library The Declining Scope of Practice of Family Physicians Is Limited to Urban Areas The Declining Scope of Practice of Family Physicians Is Limited to Urban Areas 2021 Author(s) Nasim, Urooj, Morgan, Zachary J, and Peterson, Lars E Topic(s) What Family Physicians Do Keyword(s) Visiting Scholar/Fellow Volume Journal of Rural Health Source Journal of Rural Health PURPOSE: Scope of practice of family physicians (FPs) has been decreasing overall. Our objective was to determine if the distribution of declining scope occurs across urban and rural settings. METHODS: We used secondary data from practicing FPs collected on the American Board of Family Medicine examination registration demographic questionnaire from 2014 to 2016 on scope of practice merged with county-level data from the Area Health Resources File. Rurality was assigned using 4 population-based groupings from the Rural Urban Continuum Codes. Outcome measures were scope of practice score (0-30, higher score reflecting broader scope) and provision of specific types of care/procedures. Bivariate statistics assessed changes in scope of practice over time. Adjusted regression models tested associations between time, physician, practice, and county characteristics with scope of practice score. FINDINGS: Our sample was 27,343 practicing FPs. Overall, the scope score decreased from 15.5 to 15.0 (P value < .05) but was significant only for urban settings. Regression analysis found that scope decreased each year (β = -0.15), broader scope for rural FPs, and no interaction between year and rural. CONCLUSIONS: The decrease in FP scope of practice is largely an urban phenomenon. FPs in rural areas have a broad scope of practice, which may ensure access to care in rural areas that rely on FPs to provide a large portion of health care services. However, county characteristics like persistent poverty and the presence of nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other physicians were associated with changes in scope that may modify the gains associated with rurality. ABFM Research Read all 2024 Training in Gender Affirming Care is Medically Necessary Go to Training in Gender Affirming Care is Medically Necessary 2023 Healthcare Workforce Implications of Physician Student Loan Repayment Funding Go to Healthcare Workforce Implications of Physician Student Loan Repayment Funding 2015 More Comprehensive Care Among Family Physicians is Associated with Lower Costs and Fewer Hospitalizations Go to More Comprehensive Care Among Family Physicians is Associated with Lower Costs and Fewer Hospitalizations 2024 Diabetes Monitoring in Foreign-Born and US-Born Latino Adults in US Community Health Centers Go to Diabetes Monitoring in Foreign-Born and US-Born Latino Adults in US Community Health Centers
Author(s) Nasim, Urooj, Morgan, Zachary J, and Peterson, Lars E Topic(s) What Family Physicians Do Keyword(s) Visiting Scholar/Fellow Volume Journal of Rural Health Source Journal of Rural Health
ABFM Research Read all 2024 Training in Gender Affirming Care is Medically Necessary Go to Training in Gender Affirming Care is Medically Necessary 2023 Healthcare Workforce Implications of Physician Student Loan Repayment Funding Go to Healthcare Workforce Implications of Physician Student Loan Repayment Funding 2015 More Comprehensive Care Among Family Physicians is Associated with Lower Costs and Fewer Hospitalizations Go to More Comprehensive Care Among Family Physicians is Associated with Lower Costs and Fewer Hospitalizations 2024 Diabetes Monitoring in Foreign-Born and US-Born Latino Adults in US Community Health Centers Go to Diabetes Monitoring in Foreign-Born and US-Born Latino Adults in US Community Health Centers
2024 Training in Gender Affirming Care is Medically Necessary Go to Training in Gender Affirming Care is Medically Necessary
2023 Healthcare Workforce Implications of Physician Student Loan Repayment Funding Go to Healthcare Workforce Implications of Physician Student Loan Repayment Funding
2015 More Comprehensive Care Among Family Physicians is Associated with Lower Costs and Fewer Hospitalizations Go to More Comprehensive Care Among Family Physicians is Associated with Lower Costs and Fewer Hospitalizations
2024 Diabetes Monitoring in Foreign-Born and US-Born Latino Adults in US Community Health Centers Go to Diabetes Monitoring in Foreign-Born and US-Born Latino Adults in US Community Health Centers