Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7080, USA.
Am J Gastroenterol. 2010 Feb;105(2):246-51. doi: 10.1038/ajg.2009.275.
One response to the challenges of modern day clinical practice has been to employ "mid-level providers" (MLPs), such as physician assistants and nurse practitioners. MLPs may complement physicians by supporting patient self-management and performing routine, protocol-guided management. In turn, MLPs may improve health outcomes and simultaneously lower costs. Within gastroenterology, the prevalence of MLPs remains unknown, though it appears to be significant and increasing. Additionally, professional organizations predict that in the future, MLPs will play a central role in digestive disease care. Although incorporating MLPs into gastroenterology has great potential, numerous challenges exist, and their specific roles must first be defined and evaluated.
应对现代临床实践挑战的一种方法是采用“中级医疗提供者”（MLP），如医师助理和执业护士。MLP 可以通过支持患者自我管理和执行常规的、基于方案的管理来辅助医生。反过来，MLP 可以改善健康结果并同时降低成本。在胃肠病学中，MLP 的流行程度尚不清楚，但似乎很显著且在增加。此外，专业组织预测，在未来，MLP 将在消化疾病护理中发挥核心作用。尽管将 MLP 纳入胃肠病学具有巨大潜力，但仍存在许多挑战，首先必须定义和评估他们的具体角色。
