To the Editor:
This letter is in response to the concerns expressed by Ms. Wertz on Jan. 22.
As the national landscape of health care continues to evolve, so too will the relationship between patients and the professionals who care for them. The Association of American Medical Colleges projects a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by the year 2036. This shortage coincides with a growing aging population and an increase in chronic medical conditions including hypertension, diabetes and obesity. This paradigm requires a team-based approach to manage the increasing health care needs of our patients.
To address these concerns, the role of Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) has expanded. APPs are health-care practitioners who possess advanced education at the master’s or doctoral level with advanced clinical training. APPs include nurse practitioner, physician assistant, certified registered nurse anesthetist, clinical nurse specialist and certified nurse midwife. APPs are board-certified by a national body and licensed by each state to assess, diagnose and treat acute, chronic and preventive health issues.
APPs are respected and trusted members of the Cooper-Cape health-care team who provide high quality, compassionate, patient-centered care in primary, specialty and acute care settings. We collaborate directly with our physician colleagues and partner with our patients to promote the highest quality care. There are decades of research that consistently demonstrate the high-quality care provided by APPs.
APPs are well-positioned to offset the impact of the projected physician shortage, while increasing access to care for our patients. Working in collaboration with our physicians and other team members, we provide a comprehensive approach to meet the diverse health-care needs of our patients to achieve excellent outcomes. This team-based model ensures our patients see the right provider at the right time and place, so patients receive the appropriate and timely care needed.
For example, when a patient has an issue that may need surgery, they will see the surgeon to evaluate and determine if and what surgery is needed. That patient may then see the APP for a post-operative visit in the office to ensure their recovery is progressing as expected. In this model of care, the surgeon evaluates the need for surgery and performs the surgery while the APP, in collaboration with the surgeon, manages other aspects of the patient’s care. In 2024, Cooper’s APPs provided over 240,000 office visits for our patients. On a national level, APPs provided 1 billion patient visits.
At Cooper we are one team of health-care professionals focused on providing the highest level of care to achieve excellent clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction.
Eric E. Kupersmith, MD, SFHM, Senior Vice President and Chief Physician, Cooper University Health Care
Eileen F. Campbell, MSN, APN, FNP-BC, Executive Chief Advanced Practice Provider, Cooper University Health Care
