Columbia University School of Nursing Opens Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Group in Washington Heights

NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Columbia University School of Nursing, a pioneer in nurse practitioner-led care, celebrated the opening of a new nurse practitioner primary care group in Washington Heights with a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house on September 14. This is the second primary care practice established by Columbia University School of Nursing to be completely staffed and managed by nurse practitioners – the other practice is in Midtown Manhattan. A third practice in Morningside Heights as well as a house calls practice are scheduled to be opened later this year. As part of ColumbiaDoctors and in affiliation with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, the Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Group provides patients with access to a world-class network of specialists from Columbia University Medical Center.

Community leaders joined Columbia University School of Nursing in announcing the new practice which will expand health care options for residents of Washington Heights and the surrounding neighborhoods. 

Bobbie Berkowitz, PhD, RN, FAAN, Dean of Columbia University School of Nursing and Senior Vice President of Columbia University Medical Center, said, "We are meeting the growing need to prepare advanced practice nurses to deliver more complex care as people live longer with  chronic diseases that used to be fatal are now being managed. Our primary care nurse practitioner practice is designed to offer high-quality, comprehensive and coordinated care to individuals and families in their communities."

The Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Group in Washington Heights, located at 516 West 168^th Street, offers integrated primary and mental healthcare services to meet the diverse needs of the local community. It contains a series of specialized spaces intended to improve the patient experience and enable nurse practitioners to deliver the most efficient and compassionate care. In addition to seven exam rooms and three consulting rooms, the practice includes a multi-purpose community space where members of the community can learn about healthcare and wellness in a comfortable and welcoming environment. Services include:

Nurse practitioners (NPs) are registered nurses who have completed advanced education, including a Master's degree or clinical doctorate and are licensed to provide comprehensive care including prescribing medications. They focus on helping patients make choices that can prevent disease and maximize health.  

Stephen Ferrara, DNP, FNP, FAANP, Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs at Columbia University School of Nursing and Executive Director of the Nurse Practitioner Association of New York State, said  "Nurse practitioners focus on the whole person and help patients make lifestyle choices that can actually prevent diseases and help them stay as healthy as possible. We get to know each patient, his or her history, health goals and challenges, so that together we can develop a clear and personalized treatment plan."

Added Dean Berkowitz: "We are committed to providing quality health care in locations that are convenient to where people live and work. The Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Practice in Washington Heights expands access to a broad range of health care services for patients and their families in this community. The practice is also part of an important and ongoing trend in primary care, with more opportunity for nurse practitioners to serve as primary care providers offering comprehensive community-based care."

Columbia University School of Nursing is part of the Columbia University Medical Center, which also includes the College of Physicians & Surgeons, the Mailman School of Public Health, and the College of Dental Medicine. With close to 100 full-time faculty and 800 students, Columbia University School of Nursing is dedicated to educating the next generation of nurse leaders in education, research, and clinical care. The school pioneered the advanced practice nursing curricula and continues to lead the field in practice, education and research. Among the clinical practice areas shaped by the school's research are the reduction of infectious disease and the use of health care informatics to improve health and health care.

ColumbiaDoctors, the faculty practice of Columbia University Medical Center, includes more than 1,700 physicians, surgeons, dentists, and advanced nurse practitioners, offering more than 230 medical specialties and subspecialties. All ColumbiaDoctors are affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, ranked No. 1 in New York.

Columbia University Medical Center provides international leadership in basic, preclinical, and clinical research; medical and health sciences education; and patient care. The medical center trains future leaders and includes the dedicated work of many physicians, scientists, public health professionals, dentists, and nurses at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the Mailman School of Public Health, the College of Dental Medicine, the School of Nursing, the biomedical departments of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and allied research centers and institutions. Columbia University Medical Center is home to the largest medical research enterprise in New York City and State and one of the largest faculty medical practices in the Northeast. For more information, visit cumc.columbia.edu or columbiadoctors.org.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160913/407679  

SOURCE Columbia University School of Nursing

Related Links

http://nursing.columbia.edu