Mid-level practitioner
Mid-level practitioners, also called non-physician practitioners, advanced practice providers, or commonly mid-levels are health care providers who assess, diagnose, and treat patients but do not have such an extensive education as a physician. The scope of a mid-level practitioner varies greatly among countries and even among individual practitioners. Some mid-level practitioners work under the close supervision of a physician (such as doing pre-op and post-op assessment and management, thus allowing surgeons to spend more of their time operating), while others function independently and have a scope of practice difficult to distinguish from a physician. The legal scope of practice for mid-level practitioners varies greatly among jurisdictions, with some having a restricted and well-defined scope, while others have a scope similar to that of a physician. Likewise, the training requirement for mid-level practitioners varies greatly between and within different certifications and licensures.
| Occupation | |
|---|---|
| Synonyms | advanced practice practitioner, advanced practice provider, advanced practice clinician, advanced clinical practitioner, advanced clinical provider, non-physician practitioner, non-physician provider, physician assistant (hyponym), nurse practitioner (hyponym), advanced practice nurse (hyponym) |
Occupation type | Professional |
Activity sectors | Medicine, health care |
| Description | |
Fields of employment | Clinics, hospitals |
Because of their diverse histories, mid-level providers' training, functions, scope of practice, regulation, and integration into the formal health system vary from country to country. They have highly variable levels of education and may have a formal credential and accreditation through the licensing bodies in their jurisdictions. In some places, but not others, they provide healthcare, particularly in rural and remote areas, to make up for physician shortages.