Team-based Care
The American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP) supports and encourages the implementation of integrated, interprofessional team-based approaches to coordinated health care delivery that are centered on patient needs and provide for nurse practitioner (NP) leadership of the team. This is consistent with the National Academy of Medicine’s (formerly Institute of Medicine) definition of Team-based Care. Team-based care, as defined by the National Academy of Medicine, is a systems approach to care and not a licensure construct.
“Team-based health care is the provision of health services to individuals, families, and/or their communities by at least two health providers who work collaboratively with patients and their caregivers — to the extent preferred by each patient — to accomplish shared goals within and across settings to achieve coordinated, high-quality care.” (Core Principles and Values of Effective Team-Based Health Care, NAM).
AANP opposes laws and regulations that make it illegal for a clinician to practice to the top of their education and clinical preparation, as well as those that require an NP — through licensure or regulation — to be part of a team as a condition to practice. Such laws and regulations needlessly impede individual licensee accountability and reduce the flexibility and efficiency of the health care workforce to meet diverse health care needs.