Incorporating Mid-Level Providers into your Practice

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Incorporating Mid-Level Providers into your Practice

Business of Medicine
Author Credentials 

Lance Manning, MD
Ear, Nose, and Throat Centers of the Ozarks
Springdale, AR

Lawrence M. Simon, MD
Assistant Clinical Professor of Otolaryngology
LSU Health Sciences Center
New Orleans, LA 

Module Summary

In order to allow for a sustainable, profitable business model and provide greater access for patients, many Otolaryngology practices incorporate mid-level providers into their practices.  In addition, these individuals may have the potential to allow for capital improvements to allow for a greater breadth of care for the service area, more and higher quality clinical and clerical staff, purchase and implementation of new technology, funding for research and development, and augmentation of the care that an Otolaryngologist provides. This module provides an overview of the incorporation of mid-level providers into an Otolaryngology practice.
 

Module Learning Objectives 
  1. Recognize who is considered a midlevel provider.
  2. Describe the credentialing process for midlevel providers.
  3. Define the midlevel provider’s scope of practice.
  4. Calculate when to add a mid-level provider to your practice.
  5. Determine what responsibilities the mid-level provider will oversee. 
  6. Review how to properly bill and code for services performed by midlevel providers.
Definition of Mid-Level Provider
  1. Physician Assistant versus Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Registered Nurse.
  2. Other physician extenders and assistants.
  3. May vary by state regulations- consult with an attorney if needed.
  4. Review scope of practice and what they can and cannot do. 
When to Add Mid-Level Provider to Your Practice
  1. Can patient volume support it?
  2. Does it make sense financially?
  3. Decide between physician extender/mid-level provider and adding another physician to the practice.
Role of Mid-Level Provider/ Physician Extender
  1. Determine what types of patients the mid-level will see.
  2. Choose what types of procedures will be done.
  3. Establish the purpose for hiring and their scope of their work:
    • Will they see patients independently?
    • Will they take call?
  4. Identify what they can and cannot do in your state.
Regulatory Considerations
  1. Billing and coding.
  2. Licensure and scope of practice.
  3. Malpractice insurance.
Resources 

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  1. Annual Meeting Webcast (AMW):