MCNP President Responds to Boston Globe Article on Lack of Access to Primary Care

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March 16, 2023

Dear Editor, 

I am writing in response to the March 16, 2023 article entitled: Months Long Waits Accessing Care Leave Patients Sicker and in Anguish. Yet again the Boston Globe ignores the role of the nurse practitioner.

Nurse practitioners are highly trained and qualified healthcare providers who have undergone rigorous education and clinical training. They provide a wide range of primary care services, from preventive care to management of chronic conditions.

Studies have consistently shown that nurse practitioners provide excellent clinical outcomes for their patients and achieve similar or better health outcomes compared to physicians in primary care settings, and are more likely to provide patient-centered care that is focused on the whole person.

In rural areas and underserved communities, they often serve as the primary healthcare provider, helping to ensure that patients have access to the care they need.

By providing high-quality primary care, nurse practitioners improve the health and well-being of their patients and communities. They bridge ever widening gaps in access to care that are, as highlighted in this article, exacerbated by physicians leaving clinical practice.

I urge that in future the Globe acknowledges their value.

Sincerely,

Laura Black, DNP, FNP-C
President, Massachusetts Coalition of Nurse Practitioners