Norfolk, Va.-based Sentara Health is ramping up hiring of advanced practice providers as it leans into a team-based primary care model aimed at expanding access to care.
Four things to know:
- Sentara Medical Group plans to double its APP workforce over the next three years in an effort to expand access to primary care services. Each APP added to a physician-led team is expected to expand capacity by 70%, health system officials said in an Oct. 8 news release.
- The model pairs one physician with two APPs, offloading administrative tasks to other supportive roles, such as medical assistants and clinical pharmacists. By sharing a group of patients, physicians and APPs will be able to spend more time with patients, the release said. While patients will have a go-to provider within the team, the entire team will collaborate on care.
- Sentara has also created new leadership positions to oversee its growing APP workforce. In August, the system tapped Todd Roark, RN, as vice president of advanced practice professionals, along with two directors of advanced practice provider development.
- The move aligns with national trends, in which health systems are increasingly hiring APPs to meet growing demand for care. Nurse practitioner jobs are expected to grow 46% by 2031, making it the fastest-growing occupation in the country, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Read more about APP workforce trends here.