Delegation and oversight of non-physician practitioners in dermatology

Shelby L. Kubicki, Jordan V. Wang, Roy G. Geronemus, Paul M. Friedman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

A rising demand for dermatologic procedures has led to a recent increase in the number of non-physician operators (NPOs) in the dermatology workforce. Nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and aestheticians commonly perform procedures in both physician-based practices and medical spas with varying degrees of dermatology-specific training and physician oversight. Although the lack of regulations can negatively impact patient outcomes and adverse events, the role of NPOs in dermatology continues to grow. Among Medicare beneficiaries, nurse practitioners and physician assistants are independently billing for a growing number of dermatologic procedures, whereas the number performed by dermatologists remains relatively stable. Medical spas are an increasingly popular destination for aesthetic consumers, and the majority employ only NPOs as primary providers. Recent data suggest that compared to dermatologists, NPOs have a higher rate of adverse events. As attempts are made to standardize and improve the training requirements for dermatologic procedures, a concerted effort should be made to prioritize patient outcomes and safety.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)257-261
Number of pages5
JournalClinics in Dermatology
Volume41
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 1 2023

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Dermatology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Delegation and oversight of non-physician practitioners in dermatology'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this