U.S. Senate Recognizes the Importance of Nurse-led Care

November 8-14, 2015 National Nurse-Managed Health Clinic Week

WASHINGTON--()--There are more than 250 nurse-managed health clinics throughout the nation that serve as the medical home for more than three million people in underserved rural and urban settings. This week, nurse-led clinics managed by advanced practice nurses will be honored across the nation through a Senate resolution officially marking November 8-14 as National Nurse-Managed Health Clinic Week. U.S. Senate Resolution 303, co-sponsored by Senators Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and Jeff Merkley of Oregon and approved on November 5, launches a national campaign bringing awareness to nurse-managed health clinics and the vulnerable communities they serve.

Nurse-managed health clinics play a pioneering role in health care innovation by testing new modalities of primary health care and offering clinical training sites for the next generation of providers. National Nurse-Managed Health Clinic Week recognizes the capacity of nurse-led clinics to provide accessible, high-quality and affordable health services to patients who would not otherwise have access to care.

To further underscore the revolutionary impact of nurse-led care nationally and globally, the National Nursing Centers Consortium (NNCC), the national nonprofit organization supporting nurse-led care as a solution to health care disparities, is holding its annual conference in Philadelphia on November 12-13. The conference will focus on the sustainability of nurse-managed health clinics and the future of nurse-led care.

NNCC serves as an incubator for innovative nurse-led community-based programs. As part of its conference, NNCC will be highlighting the kickoff of two major initiatives with support from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation.

CMS’ Transforming Clinical Practices Initiative is one of the largest federal quality improvement programs of its kind, and NNCC will be supporting nurse practitioner involvement in this critical initiative. Hillman funding will support NNCC and Widener University in a collaboration to create a community-integrated Public Health Nursing/Legal Partnership, serving the health and social needs of low-income mothers and babies in Philadelphia. Both of these major initiatives recognize the importance of nurse-led care and further enable NNCC to fulfill its mission by enabling nurse-managed health clinic leaders to transform practices and better address the social determinants of health.

“With a known shortage of primary care physicians, advanced practice nurses, nurse practitioners and nurse-managed health clinics are vital to ensuring access to high-quality and affordable health care for millions of people,” said Tine Hansen-Turton, Chief Executive Officer of the NNCC. “This resolution, in addition to our annual conference, initiates a national dialogue to bring awareness to the innovative ways that nurse-led care closes gaps in care, lowers costs, and is creating a future in which access to primary and preventive care is a reality for everyone.”

“Nurse practitioners who serve as the primary care providers in the nurse-managed health clinics are now the face of primary care in our country,” said Amy Barton, Chairman of the Board at the NNCC. “We are glad to see national attention brought to the evolving role of nurse-led care and the fact that it is happening during our national conference focusing on the sustainability of nurse-managed health clinics makes this week all the more special.”

NNCC plans to make special note of National Nurse-Managed Health Clinic Week during conference festivities. Managers of nurse-managed health clinics are encouraged to reach out to the NNCC to let them know how they plan to honor advanced practice nurses who oversee the clinics and the staff that make their work possible. To get connected and for more information on nurse-managed health clinics, visit www.nncc.us.

Contacts

Media:
National Nursing Centers Consortium
Tine Hansen-Turton, 215-731-7140
tine@nncc.us

Contacts

Media:
National Nursing Centers Consortium
Tine Hansen-Turton, 215-731-7140
tine@nncc.us