Nurse practitioners are increasingly focused on promoting patient adherence, study finds

NEW YORK, Sept. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- With physicians already in short supply and millions of uninsured Americans set to enter the healthcare system as the Affordable Care Act takes effect, nurses and physician assistants are stepping up to fill the gap. Nurse practitioners (NPs), in particular, are taking a central role in helping patients stay on therapy, according to Manhattan Research's Taking the Pulse^® Nurses 2013 study. 

"Nurse practitioners are playing a key role in driving medication adherence while using a variety of support tools, including digital support and services," said Shawn Dimantha, Principal Analyst at Manhattan Research.

Promoting adherence to treatment is becoming all the more important to providers and health systems in light of the healthcare reform-fueled shift towards outcomes-based reimbursement. The study, for which Manhattan Research surveyed 909 practicing U.S. nurses and physician assistants, found that:

• Nearly nine out of ten NPs provide patients resources to help them stay on track with their medicines, and three in ten NPs have referred them to digital adherence tools such as websites or apps
• Almost half of NPs said the time they spend on patient education has increased over the past two years
• More than three in five NPs said patient outcomes are a top priority in their practice for the next 1-2 years

"As NPs spend more time on patient education, there is an opportunity for pharma to extend services beyond the pill," said Dimantha, "including providing more engaging online patient education materials and tools that help patients stay on their medication."

Download our State of the Industry: Nurse Practitioners Infographic
This complimentary Infographic looks at how nurse practitioners (NPs) are driving patient education, outcomes, and adherence in and out of the care setting. To access the Infographic, please visit the Infographic page.

About Taking the Pulse^® Nurses 2013
Taking the Pulse^® Nurses is Manhattan Research's annual market research study and syndicated advisory service that explores how U.S. nurses, nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) are operating in an increasingly crowded clinical workflow, expanding their roles as care givers in and out of the clinical setting, using the internet, digital media, mobile devices and other technologies for professional purposes, and interacting with pharma today. The study surveyed 909 practicing U.S. nurses and physician assistants in Q2 2013. For more information, please visit www.manhattanresearch.com/ttpnurses.

About Manhattan Research
Manhattan Research, a Decision Resources Group company, conducts annual research studies covering digital health trends among healthcare professionals and consumers in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Broad research can be segmented by target specialist and therapeutic audiences. For more information, please contact [email protected], call 1.888.680.0800, ext 2, or visit www.manhattanresearch.com.

About Decision Resources Group
Decision Resources Group is a cohesive portfolio of companies that offers best-in-class, high-value information and insights on important sectors of the healthcare industry. Clients rely on this analysis and data to make informed decisions. Please visit Decision Resources Group at www.DecisionResourcesGroup.com.

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For more information, contact:

Manhattan Research
Stephanie Cooper
212-255-1368
[email protected]

SOURCE Manhattan Research