A Healthy Increase
The MGH Institute of Health Professions increased the number of students in its Master of Science in Nursing program this fall, part of its long-term commitment to educate more nurse practitioners needed to help alleviate the continuing shortage of primary care providers.
Now a new report confirms that need, which confirms the MGH Institute's move as a wise decision.
According to a study released Monday by Thomson Reuters, the lack of primary care physicians is forcing more Americans to use emergency rooms to receive basic care. And it's contributing to a health care system that the report estimates wastes between $505 billion and $850 billion each year.
"We've known for years that nurse practitioners can help meet the needs of patients while dramatically reducing the cost of providing such care," said MGH Institute President Janis P. Bellack. "We're glad we can play a part to help alleviate this situation."
The Institute admitted 99 students this fall to its Master of Science in Nursing program, a 48% increase from last year. In the 1980s the Boston graduate school developed one of the first direct-entry nursing degree programs in which students with no health care experience could study to become a nurse practitioner. It is ranked in the Top 10% of programs in the country, including fourth in New England, by U.S. News & World Report.
Overall, the school admitted 393 students this year, the largest in the school's 32-year history, in its nursing, physical therapy, communication sciences and disorders, and medical imaging programs.
According to the Thomson Reuters report, other factors that add to health care system over-expenditures included unnecessary use of antibiotics and lab tests to stem potential malpractice lawsuits, administrative inefficiency, fraud, and not treating preventable conditions such as diabetes.