Contemporary Clinic spoke with pediatric nurse practitioner Brenda Cassidy, DNP, RN, MSN, CPNP-PC, from NAPNAP about what health care professionals can do to help with human/child trafficking.

Cassidy touched on specific signs that health care professionals should be looking for when they feel their patient may be a human trafficking victim and the importance of spotting these red flags even with the limitations from COVID-19. 

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Contemporary Clinic spoke with pediatric nurse practitioner Brenda Cassidy, DNP, RN, MSN, CPNP-PC, from NAPNAP about what health care professionals can do to help with human/child trafficking.

Health Care Providers and Human/Child Trafficking

interviewed Donald Wood, PhD, the recently elected president and CEO of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), on muscular dystrophy research and care during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and beyond.

So, Dr. Wood, why is the opportunity to step into the role of president and CEO of Muscular Dystrophy Association important for you, and what is your scientific background in the muscular dystrophy field?

 Well, thank you, Alana, for having me on the program, and I'm pleased to be here on the program, just as I'm pleased to have been selected, and I'm honored to lead the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

I have been involved with research in muscular dystrophy for 40 years. I was at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in neurology years ago when I started research in muscular dystrophy and on these diseases. I headed up the Task Force on Genetics for the Muscular Dystrophy Association that led to the discovery of the genes underlying muscular dystrophy. I have been on the board of directors of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and now, in this time of COVID when we have all kinds of new challenges that we never had before, I was honored to be selected to help MDA through this very difficult time and continue on with a mission of which I am passionate about.

Like I say to my kids ‘I'm with Muscular Dystrophy Association until we cure these diseases.’ I started out when we didn't know anything about muscle. We've learned about how healthy muscle works. We now have learned how muscle goes awry when it's a challenged with genetic disorders, and now we are introducing treatments that have taken patients who used to die in their childhood, now they're living into adulthood, they're having careers, they're contributing. So, we've made tremendous progress over the years, and we still have a ways to go. And I'm here to help us get there.

Contemporary Clinic ® interviewed Donald Wood, PhD, the recently elected president and CEO of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, on muscular dystrophy research and care during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

The Importance of Muscular Dystrophy Research and Care During COVID-19 and Beyond

interviewed Bethany Hall, the owner of Healing Connection, on how understanding complex developmental trauma (CDT) can be an important component of approaching care for pediatric populations affected by CDT.

In this discussion, Hall explains why training and advocacy on CDT are helpful in order to support these pediatric populations.

What is your background with CDT as a pediatric nurse practitioner, and why is training and advocacy on CDT an important issue for you?

So, my background started as a nurse practitioner. I've predominantly worked in pediatric emergency departments, and so some of my background includes interacting on a regular basis with children that are in crisis from a mental health standpoint. So, if you have any kind of experience in the emergency department as a provider, you know that the emergency department kind of becomes the dumping center for children that no one else knows what to do with. So, the really sad reality is that these kids would come in crisis, having attempted suicide, sometimes very, very ill, other times just coming chronically because the system is not really sure how to help them. So, I was given a front row seat to all of the gaps in our system.

There's often a very significant lack of access to care. So, we would have children staying in our emergency department or on our inpatient floors for weeks because there was no bed placement for maybe that child's particular disorder, their age, or their gender. Or often we would get that ‘We don't have enough staff to handle their acuity,’ so the patient was very combative or harmful to themselves, they would need one-on-one care, and if there was no availability in these mental health facilities for one-on-one care, they would just have to sit in the hospital, where obviously they're not getting mental health care to the degree that we would like them to.

So, because of that, I was really drawn to this idea of what can we do to help. And then through my own journey, I'm an adoptive mom as well as a family nurse practitioner, and so I was just astounded at the lack of information I was given as I look back over when we first adopted. And I look back over my years in the emergency department. Now knowing what I know, and having studied what I've studied in this area, I'm just really shocked at the dearth of information that we as medical professionals are given in this area, and then also a part of what we do is working with foster and adoptive families, and there just really is a lack of training that medical and even mental health professionals receive on trauma and its impact on these children.

I believe this is beginning to change. I think, due to some recent works that are going on which we'll talk more about, but some of the more recent stuff that's going on, I think it's bringing attention to this, but if you look back to my colleagues and I who have been in the field 10, 20, 30 years, we really didn't receive any training, and I have found that even in mental health—colleagues and social workers and psychologists—that the amount of information they're given on trauma and how it affects a child is very, very small.

Contemporary Clinic® interviewed Bethany Hall, the owner of Healing Connection, on why training and advocacy on complex developmental trauma is important in order to support the appropriate care of pediatric populations.

The Importance of Training and Advocacy on Complex Developmental Trauma

A new psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) certificate program has been launched by Illinois State University’s Mennonite College of Nursing (MCN). According to the university, the fully online program is now accepting applications for summer 2021.1

The program is available to licensed advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) who are nationally certified as family nurse practitioners. According to the university, the program’s goal is to equip APRNs with the knowledge, training, and certification needed to meet the mental health care needs of patients. The program also addresses shortages of mental health care professionals that are occurring is some areas of Illinois by helping to fill these gaps.1

According to the nonprofit Mental Health America (MHA), full-year data for 2020 show a growing national need for mental health care. The community-based organization recorded 2.5 million people taking its’ online mental health screening in 2020, compared to 1 million people taking the screening in 2019.2

“The data shed a bright light on what we have been reporting throughout the past year,” said Paul Gionfriddo, president and CEO of MHA, in a prepared statement. “The mental health needs in the United States are reaching new highs– and public officials need to make the restoration of the mental health of our nation a top priority in 2021.”2

Among the mental health conditions that were shown to have increased in 2020 were anxiety, depression, thoughts of suicide or self-harm, and symptoms of psychosis. Many people who took the screening cited feelings of loneliness or isolation as reasons for their mental health struggles. According to MHA, by the end of 2020, more than 30% of those individuals cited the coronavirus disease 2019 as a reason. Other current events notably the 2020 presidential election, also were cited as having contributed to individuals’ mental health struggles last year.2

According to Judy Neubrander, dean of MCN, the college is dedicated to improving health in their local and regional communities, as well as globally, through trained nursing professionals.1

MCN’s new 5-course, 4-semester program focuses on population health and treatment of common psychiatric disorders across the lifespan, according to the university. The course will address topics such as psychopharmacology, psychotherapeutics for advanced psychiatric mental health nursing, and advanced psychiatric mental health nursing practice.1

McMahon E. Mennonite College of Nursing launches psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner certificate. Illinois State University News. Published February 4, 2021. Accessed February 5, 2021. 

https://news.illinoisstate.edu/2021/02/mennonite-college-of-nursing-launches-psychiatric-mental-health-nurse-practitioner-certificate/

Mental health needs in the U.S. grew dramatically in 2020 [news release]. Alexandria, VA; February 3, 2021; Mental Health America. Accessed February 5, 2021. 

https://www.mhanational.org/mental-health-needs-us-grew-dramatically-2020

Articles

A new, fully online psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner certificate program has been launched by the Illinois State University’s Mennonite College of Nursing, which is accepting applications for summer 2021.

New Certification Program for Nurses Focuses on Growing Need for Mental Health Care

Evofem Biosciences, Inc and the National Community Oncology Dispensing Association, Inc (NCODA) are launching a collaboration to positively impact the quality of life for female patients living with, fighting, and recovering from cancer by raising awareness about the importance and availability of a new non-hormonal birth control method, lactic acid/citric acid/potassium bitartrate (Phexxi).

The collaboration begins today, which is also World Cancer Day, and the organizations will be working together to develop and share resources and educational information for the medically integrated oncology pharmacy team. Their efforts will help support female patients with cancer in deciding which contraceptive option best meets their unique, individual needs, according to the press release.

Many cancer treatment protocols require female patients of reproductive age to use birth control while undergoing treatment. The introduction of Phexxi in September 2020 helped the limited non-hormonal prescription contraception market in which women were guided toward condoms or the copper IUD, a prescription medical device that is implanted in the uterus where it releases copper ions and causes inflammation.

"Women who are being or who have previously been treated for hormone-sensitive cancers should not use hormonal birth control because it may stimulate the growth of tumor cells," said Gury Doshi, MD, Texas Oncology, in a press release. "Non-hormonal birth control is the best option for these women, and it is important that each woman and her medical team evaluate and determine which of the two available hormone-free prescription contraceptives, a surgically implanted device or an on-demand vaginal pH modulator gel, is best for her."

NCODA will be developing a positive quality intervention (PQI) in connection with Phexxi to help operationalize and standardize practices to achieve positive outcomes for patients. PQIs will also help educate oncologists and other members of the medically integrated oncology pharmacy team who are involved in the care of oncology patients who may be prescribed Phexxi, according to the press release.

Approved by the FDA in May 2020, Phexxi is the first and only FDA-approved, non-hormonal contraceptive vaginal gel and is designed to be used immediately before or up to an hour before intercourse. The gel works to maintain vaginal pH, helping to reduce sperm mobility, lowering the chance of sperm reaching the egg.




Evofem Biosciences and NCODA Announce Collaboration to Educate Oncology Community about Phexxi®, A Non-Hormonal Birth Control Option for Women with Cancer. PR Newswire. 

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/evofem-biosciences-and-ncoda-announce-collaboration-to-educate-oncology-community-about-phexxi-a-non-hormonal-birth-control-option-for-women-with-cancer-301221728.html

. Published February 4, 2021. Accessed February 4, 2021.

The collaboration begins today, which is also World Cancer Day, and the organizations will be working together to develop and share resources and educational information for the medically integrated oncology pharmacy team.

Collaboration Seeks to Educate Oncology Community About Non-Hormonal Birth Control Option for Women With Cancer

A new study has found that nearly 1 in 4 families said they would be unlikely to bring their child to the emergency department (ED) if they had an emergency condition during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

The authors found the greatest hesitancy among families living in under-resourced communities, those who rely on public insurance, and in families who are Black, Latinx, or Asian. These findings could exacerbate health inequities that already exist during the pandemic, according to the study authors.

“We observed greater hesitancy to use the emergency department among more vulnerable demographic groups who historically showed high utilization of emergency care for their children,” said lead author Michelle Macy, MD, pediatric emergency care specialist at Lurie Children’s Hospital, in a press release. “This reluctance to seek care in a real emergency might further exacerbate health inequities.”

The survey was conducted in Illinois during the first week of May 2020, following a stay-at-home order issued by the governor in March that limited health care seeking to emergencies and COVID-19 care. Although pediatric outpatient care has rebounded since the restrictions were lifted, the study authors noted that emergency care continues to lag.

The survey included 3896 families in metropolitan Chicago during the first wave of the pandemic. Overall, 23% of families said they were hesitant to seek emergency care for their child, with the greatest hesitancy observed in families from the most under-resourced communities (27%) compared with those in more affluent neighborhoods (19%).

Among families of color, approximately one-third said they would be unlikely to bring their child to the emergency department, and that number was similar for families on public insurance. Among Spanish speakers, 36% said they were hesitant to seek emergency care.

“At Lurie Children’s Emergency Department, we are still seeing about half of the patients we would normally expect to see,” Macy said in the statement. “This is concerning, since delays in emergency care may lead to a child’s condition worsening to the point where they require hospital admission. To avoid a true health crisis, children need to be brought in earlier in the course of their illness. If families are ever concerned, they should contact their child’s primary care provider to determine if emergency care is advised. Our emergency department is safe and always ready to help.”

Nearly 1 in 4 families hesitant to take their child to ER during COVID-19 pandemic [news release]. EurekAlert; January 25, 2021. 

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-01/arh-noi012521.php

Study shows the greatest hesitancy in seeking emergency medical services among families living in under-resourced communities, which highlight health inequities that already exist during the pandemic.

Study Finds Many Families Hesitant to Take Children to Emergency Department During COVID-19 Pandemic

So Bethany, what is complex developmental trauma, or CDT, and how does it affect the lives of children with CDT?

So, there's a lot of different types of trauma. There's acute trauma, which we're all living right now in the middle of a global pandemic. So, we have things that come in our lives that hopefully we all hope and pray won't be forever—they're for an acute period of time and they raise our stress level. So that's acute trauma.

Then there's chronic trauma, which some people in the pandemic are living [through], where they may be displaced from their homes, they may start a struggle with substance abuse, or venture into depression that they've never had before.

But complex developmental trauma is very unique. Complex developmental trauma is trauma that occurs usually early in the life of a child. So, in those really formative years of development of brain, which is 0 to 3, sometimes some experts say 0 to 5, and it is chronic. So, it's something that goes on over a long period of time.

The interesting thing about complex developmental trauma is it also often almost always involves a primary caregiver. So that doesn't necessarily have to be mom or dad, if it was a grandma that child was placed with or relative care. But some type of abuse or neglect or household dysfunction is involved with a primary caregiver.

Then how it affects the lives of children, honestly, I could go on about this for hours, but trauma in those early years of life is just very detrimental and wide-reaching in their effects. So, they affect a child's brain in a lot of ways in that early neglect. When they have neglect in those early periods of life or abuse, oftentimes their brains are less developed overall globally, so just the brain mass will be smaller. There's been studies that show imaging of brains of children that were on a severe spectrum, like children that were left in an orphanage to lay in their beds for hours and hours a day from a very young age, and their brains are actually significantly smaller in size and mass.

It also has an effect on the prefrontal cortex, which is the front part of the brain. So that area of the brain often has rapid development from birth to 3. So, when a child experiences significant neglect in those early years, they lack the development of that prefrontal cortex. So then you say, well, what does that matter, right? So, the prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain that controls what we call executive functioning, so that's where we learn how to regulate our emotions, the centers for language and cognition, abstract thought, future planning, and future orientation, empathy, all of those things.

So, when a child grows up in a chaotic and unpredictable environment, their bodies stress response systems also take a hit. So, in addition to what's going on in the chemistry and the development of the brain, their stress responses, or that the very back part of their brain, the fight, flight, or freeze portion of their brain, often gets either over or under responsive. So, because of this constant battery of experiences on that portion of the brain, they either become either over responsive or under responsive to future stressors. So, in comparison to their peers, an equal stressor may cause them to numb out much more quickly or to a deeper level or may cause them to explode. So physically, we're talking about a lot of changes in the brain.

It also causes a whole gamut of emotional changes. So, when a child fails in those early ages to connect to a primary caregiver, that causes a lot of relational problems later on down the line. So, it causes them to have difficulties in attachment with other family members, and then even interactions with friends, spouses, bosses all of that, because it affects our ability to self-regulate, our ability to learn well. So, they may have learning disabilities, our understanding of our own self-concept, and our future orientation. So, there's a lot of ways that this affects—what we say at Healing Connection—we say it affects the ‘brain, body, belief system, biology.’

So, there's a lot of different ways that trauma affects children, and as a medical community, we're probably going to talk more about the ACE study, but it looked at adverse childhood experiences, and it shows from a public health standpoint, there's a huge risk of increased high-risk behavior, such as substance abuse, smoking, chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, cancer, and even premature death. So, this definitely has a large far-reaching effect and a very prolonged effect in the lives of these children.

Contemporary Clinic ® interviewed Bethany Hall, the owner of Healing Connection, on how understanding Complex Developmental Trauma (CDT) can be an important component of approaching care for pediatric populations affected by CDT.

How Complex Developmental Trauma Can Affect the Lives of Children

A recent survey by the National Rosacea Society (NRS) found the majority of patients with rosacea have never heard of antibiotic resistance, despite that many of the most commonly prescribed treatments for rosacea are oral or topical antibiotics. The finding highlights the importance of proper care in the use of antibiotics by dermatologists and patients, and the need for greater awareness and education about 1 of the most serious public health challenges facing the United States.

Rosacea is an acne-like chronic condition of the facial skin that affects 16 million Americans and is often characterized by flare-ups and remissions. According to the NRS, rosacea typically begins at any time after age 30 years as a flushing or redness on the cheeks, nose, chin or forehead that may come and go. Over time, the redness tends to become ruddier and more persistent, and small blood vessels may appear. Without treatment, bumps and pimples often develop, and in severe cases the nose may become swollen from excess tissue. In about half of patients, the eyes are also affected, feeling irritated and appearing watery or bloodshot.

According to a recent study by the CDC, in 2015, dermatologists wrote more prescriptions for antibiotics than any other medical specialty, with individual dermatologists writing an average of 162 more prescriptions for oral antibiotics annually than primary care physicians.

 Although antibiotics are commonly used for their bacteria-killing capabilities, dermatologists also use these drugs for their anti-inflammatory properties to treat common conditions that include rosacea. The problem of antibiotic resistance can arise when high doses of antibiotics are used, as the affected bacteria may evolve an ability to withstand the drugs designed to eliminate them.

Antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria are commonly referred to as “superbugs.” According to the CDC, Americans contract more than an estimated 2.8 million infections caused by superbugs each year, and at least 35,000 people die as a result. The fight against antibiotic resistance is multifaceted and includes environmental strategies and health care- and community-based policy changes, as well as the research and development of new antibiotic treatments. Multiple governmental organizations, including the FDA and the CDC, as well as nongovernmental organizations are leading initiatives to protect Americans against a future without effective antibiotics.

“Dermatologists and rosacea patients can both practice antibiotic stewardship to help protect against resistance,” said Dr. James Del Rosso, adjunct clinical professor of dermatology at Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine, in a prepared statement. “It requires avoiding oral antibiotic dosing as much as possible and remaining aware of guideline suggestions that may be applied to patient care.”

According to standard management options for rosacea— recently published by the NRS—oral and topical therapies are often initially prescribed in combination, followed by long-term use of a single therapy to maintain remission.

There is strong clinical evidence supporting the use of low-dose doxycycline to treat the bumps and pimples of rosacea, including a 40 mg doxycycline modified-release capsule developed specifically for rosacea.

 The 40 mg dosage is sub-antimicrobial, avoiding antibiotic resistance while reducing the inflammation associated with this condition.

In severe cases, higher doses of oral antibiotics may be prescribed. However, since higher doses may also have an antimicrobial effect, Del Rosso recommended that such treatment be carefully managed and not used for long-term maintenance.

“Topical formulations are advantageous for long-term therapy because they deliver effective concentrations to the skin without much risk of systemic exposure,” Del Rosso said. For long-term maintenance therapy, low-dose doxycycline or common topical treatments such as ivermectin, azelaic acid and metronidazole have been found to result in increased rates of remission.

Patients with rosacea should ask their health care providers about an effective, nonantibiotic dose option of oral medication and a topical therapy to treat rosacea, and follow dosage and application instructions, to receive the most benefit from medical treatment and to stop the spread of antibiotic resistance. Prescribed oral therapy may mean taking the correct number of doses at the appropriate time. Patients with topical medication should follow application instructions, making sure not to forgo or reduce treatment that is meant to continue indefinitely in order to retain remission.

“The good news is that multiple treatment options for rosacea are now available that can be tailored for each rosacea patient while minimizing the risk of bacterial resistance,” Del Rosso said.

Rosacea sufferers and dermatologists can play important role in fighting antibiotic resistance [news release]. Barrington, IL; January 26, 2021: National Rosacea Society. Accessed February 1, 2021. 

https://www.rosacea.org/press/2021/rosacea-sufferers-dermatologists-can-play-important-role-in-fighting-antibiotic-resistance

Outpatient Antibiotic Prescriptions—United States, 2015. CDC. Reviewed September 12, 2017. Accessed February 1, 2021. 

www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use/community/programs-measurement/state-local-activities/outpatient-antibiotic-prescriptions-US-2015.html

Thiboutot D, Anderson R, Cook-Bolden F, et al. Standard management options for rosacea: the 2019 update by the National Rosacea Society Expert Committee. 

 2020;82(6):1501–1510. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2020.01.077

Nagler AR, Del Rosso J. The use of oral antibiotics in the management of rosacea. 

Del Rosso J, Zeichner J. The clinical relevance of antibiotic resistance: thirteen principles that every dermatologist needs to consider when prescribing antibiotic therapy. 

A recent survey by the National Rosacea Society (NRS) found the majority of patients with rosacea have never heard of antibiotic resistance, despite that many of the most commonly prescribed treatments for rosacea are oral or topical antibiotics. 

A recent survey found the majority of patients with rosacea have never heard of antibiotic resistance, despite that many of the most commonly prescribed treatments for rosacea are oral or topical antibiotics. 

Fighting Antibiotic Resistance in Patients With Rosacea

US Representatives Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) and David B. McKinley (R-WV) have sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) urging President Biden’s administration to follow the lead of states that have used a community pharmacist-led approach in the national coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine distribution strategy.

The correspondence follows a joint letter sent earlier this week from the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) and the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, which urged governors to utilize independent pharmacies.

“Community pharmacists are integral parts of the communities they serve, especially in rural and underserved communities,” said the letter by Spanberger and McKinley. “Their years of providing patient-centered care and wrap-around pharmacy services means they have earned their patients’ and their communities’ trust. This experience makes them uniquely capable of addressing the high rates of vaccine hesitancy we’ve seen among minority and underserved communities.”

In their letter, Spanberger and McKinley said states where community pharmacists have taken a larger leadership role have seen a much faster distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to vulnerable populations. The letter also urged HHS to learn from these approaches and incorporate them into the federal vaccination strategy, including in efforts to increase education and combat misinformation about the vaccine.

“Community pharmacists have the flexibility to cut through red tape and reduce paperwork burdens for patients and their guardians in many cases,” Spanberger and McKinley wrote. “For example, in West Virginia, the community pharmacists demonstrated great ingenuity in establishing a vaccine drive that finished administering the first round of the vaccine to nursing home residents by the end of December. By comparison, at the end of December most other states had only just begun administering the first dose of the vaccine to nursing home residents.”

Click to continue reading on Pharmacy Times. 

The letter said states where community pharmacists have taken a larger leadership role have seen a much faster distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to vulnerable populations.

Bipartisan Correspondence Urges HHS to Increase Focus on Community Pharmacies for COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

A new survey by the Point of Care Network (POCN) has found that not only is the gap shrinking between physicians’ responsibilities and those of nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs), but NPs and PAs also want to learn about specialty and disease states outside of primary care.

NPs and PAs comprise a large and growing workforce, with more than 460,000 providers in over 60 specialties. According to the survey results, both professions work independently and in collaboration with other health care professionals to deliver chronic and acute care, treating more than 1 billion patients annually and writing more than $1 billion in retail prescriptions.

The number of NPs and PAs is expected to grow significantly in the coming years, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting an increase of between 26% and 31% from 2018 to 2028. This growth will result in more patient visits, diagnostic and treatment procedures, drug and device usage, and cost-efficient care, according to the survey.

To better understand the roles of NPs and PAs, POCN conducted an electronic survey in the summer of 2020. Respondents received an email invitation with a link to the online survey, which included 37 mainly close-ended questions. By the final tally, 673 NPs and PAs had responded, representing over 45 specialties. Of those 673, 39% identified as NPs and 61% as PAs.

According to the results, the majority of respondents (55.9%) work in primary care, with 27% saying they worked in a specialty not included in the 10 listed. Furthermore, 12% said they work in emergency medicine, 11.5% in orthopedics, and 9.4% in urgent care. When asked about their practice settings, nearly half (45.2%) said they work in a group practice or clinic, while 21.5% work in a hospital and 13.5% in a hospital clinic.

The respondents are busy, seeing an average of 66 patients per week. Notably, however, 64.2% said they see up to 75 patients per week, and 35.8% said they see between 76 and 150 patients per week. Nearly 60% of the respondents said that up to half of their patients are Medicare or Medicaid beneficiaries, while 38.2% indicated that more than half of their patients receive CMS benefits.

Based on these responses, the survey authors said NPs and PAs require easy access to timely, relevant clinical information. Between 81% and 88% of respondents said they provide the initial diagnosis, general patient education, initial prescription, and counseling on treatment adherence. Between 63% and 76% are responsible for patient follow-up, prescription refills, chronic disease care, and complete care, meaning they see no distinction between physicians and themselves.

Although 56% designate themselves as primary care clinicians, the survey noted that they want to learn about specialty and disease states outside of primary care, including chronic disease management, as it relates to their patient populations. With this goal in mind, the respondents said the most helpful resources include data on the latest treatments or technologies, digital resources that they can repost or use with patients, and opportunities to make extra money.

About one-third of the respondents said they use social media professionally, whether to access clinical information or to get updates on state and local regulations. Specifically, 69% said the most important reason for professional digital use is to establish themselves as a subject matter expert, 55% said to expand their referral base, 29% said to expand their patient base, and 29% said they hope to impact a broad audience with helpful tips.

In addition to finding that NPs and PAs are a growing workforce, the survey findings demonstrate that their use of online resources and social media will be essential in future efforts to take on more responsibilities and improve patient care.

Point of Care Network 2020 Survey; Received January 26, 2021. https://go.pocn.com/ebook/?utm_source=LinkedIn&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=pocn_LG3&utm_term=NA&utm_content=social_1&utm_list_ID=NA. Accessed January 28, 2021.

New survey findings demonstrate that professional use of online resources and social media will be essential in future efforts to take on additional tasks and improve patient care. 

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