Nurse practitioners provide win-win experiences for patients and physicians

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When scheduling an appointment to see a doctor, patients are often asked if they’d like to see a nurse practitioner. Edinger Medical Group wants their patients to know the answer should be a resounding “yes, please!”

At Edinger, patients can feel comfortable knowing they will always receive high standard of care as they would from Edinger physicians. That’s because the nurse practitioners at Edinger are highly educated, experienced, and work in tandem with Edinger’s physicians to provide seamless continuity of care.

 

“Nurse practitioners are a great addition to our practice and a valuable asset. They are part of our team,” said Dr. Betty Yu, M.D., a family medicine physician at Edinger.

 

Equal quality of care

A Nurse Practitioner (NP) is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) that has earned either a Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). All NPs have advanced clinical training beyond their initial professional registered nurse (RN) preparation. They hold national board certification and are licensed by the state. To be recognized as expert health care providers and ensure the highest quality of care, NPs undergo rigorous national certification, periodic peer review, clinical outcome evaluations and adhere to a code for ethical practices. Most NPs in the United States serve as primary care providers.

Importantly, Edinger’s nurse practitioners provide equal quality of care that can be expected from physicians.

Nurse practitioners can assess, diagnose and treat acute and chronic illnesses. The responsibilities of a nurse practitioner can include diagnosing, ordering diagnostic tests such as X-rays, MRIs and blood tests, performing physical exams, prescribing medicines and developing individualized patient treatment plans.

Patients benefit from better access, more time with the nurse practitioner and greater flexibility in scheduling appointments. When not providing patient care, NPs communicate with patients to review test results, respond to phone and portal messages.

“They really are there for us,” Dr. Yu said. “They help increase our quality of life, as well. Without nurse practitioners, our schedules are so booked, and burnout is something that’s happening with primary care physicians.”

Building relationships

 

Nurse practitioners use an evidence-based practice approach, which is using research findings and scientific knowledge in clinical practice for each individual patient.

 

“We focus on disease prevention, health promotion as well as providing care for any urgent needs of the patients. As a primary care provider, we see patients annually for their physicals and for any medical need that happens in between,” said Rebecca Seo, FNP-BC, MS- board-certified family nurse practitioner at Edinger.

Seo said she has her own panel of patients who see her annually.

Seo noted that the nurse practitioners at Edinger have worked in other various health care settings before joining Edinger. “I have had the privilege of taking care of critically ill patients in the hospital setting, as well as patients in home health and long-term care facilities. These past clinical experiences along with evidence-based practice have shaped to provide high standard of care and better outcome for patients at Edinger.”

Nurse practitioners take their relationships with their patients seriously, Seo said. “We want to continue to see that patient, to keep them healthy and provide the best quality of care he or she needs.

Patient-focused programs

Edinger is proud of the programs its nurse practitioners have initiated, including a wound therapy program and a congestive heart failure program that aims to prevent rehospitalization or readmissions for congestive heart patients.

For more information or to schedule an appointment with a nurse practitioner, call 714-965-2500 or visit edingermedicalgroup.com.