Nurse practitioners are increasingly filling the gap in geriatric care as the senior population rises and the number of geriatricians declines, KFF Health News reported June 18.
The Health Resources and Services Administration projects a 50% increase in demand for geriatricians by 2030. But by then, hundreds of geriatricians are expected to retire, reducing their number to under 7,600. Meanwhile, few younger physicians are joining the field. This leaves primary care physicians to fill the gap, but many already struggle to keep up with demand for their services. This quandary has led to a boom in nurse practitioners.
The number of nurse practitioners specializing in geriatrics has more than tripled since 2010. A 2024 survey found about 15% of all nurse practitioners treat older adults. Medicare generally reimburses their services at 85% of the amount paid to physicians. Nurse practitioners excel in treating geriatric patients.
“We tend to be a little stronger in care coordination, family and patient education, and integrating care and social and medical needs,” Elizabeth White, an assistant professor of health services, policy, and practice at Brown University, told KFF. “That’s very much in the nursing domain.”
Nurse practitioners can practice independently in 27 states and the District of Columbia, but the rest of the states require a collaborative agreement with or under supervision of a physician.
However, the American Medical Association and other physician groups have lobbied against expanding nurse practitioner roles due to “scope creep.” They argue physicians receive more schooling and clinical experience, and that physician-led teams keep costs lower.
But with a physician shortage that’s expected to grow worse, many states have opted to give nurse practitioners more independence. Five states have granted NPs full practice authority since 2021, with Utah being the most recent to remove physician supervision requirements in 2023. Mississippi and Texas are also considering relevant legislation.
