Comparing Care Given by Primary Care Physicians and Advanced Practice Clinicians

In a study of data from two national ambulatory care surveys, researchers evaluated quality of primary care by assessing use of low-value and guideline-discordant tests and treatments that were provided during care of patients who had one of three common outpatient conditions (upper respiratory infection, headache, or back pain). About 25,000 ambulatory patients who received care from primary care physicians were compared with ≈2400 patients who received care from advanced practice clinicians (APCs; i.e., advanced practice nurses and physician assistants).

In analyses adjusted for demographic variables and chronic disease burden, investigators found no difference between physicians and APCs in providing guideline-discordant care. For example…