Estimating the economic value of a rural health PA or NP

Increasing the use of PAs and NPs in primary care delivery presents challenges because of scope of practice laws, regulatory protocols, reimbursement policies, clinical training, experience, and patient health that affect daily productivity. Because PAs and NPs contribute economically to the community, a model was created for community leaders to use. Given four sample scenarios, a rural PA or NP can create between 4.4 and 18.5 local jobs and $280,476 to $940,892 in wages and benefits from the clinic and hospital. The tools in this report enable community leaders to estimate the economic effect of rural PAs and NPs.(1)