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Scope of Practice (SOP)

The legal scope of practice for a health profession is typically defined in state-specific scope of practice acts. These acts describe the services that professionals can provide and under what conditions they can be provided. Scope of practice acts also define the requirements for education and training, certification and licensure, and supervision.

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Research Alert

How Governor Directives Changed Health Workforce Flexibility in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Authors: Margaret Ziemann | Julia Strasser | Maddie Krips | Y. Tony Yang | Patricia Pittman

Topics: COVID-19, Scope of Practice (SOP)

July 26, 2023
This article examines state governors’ executive orders related to 2 key health workforce flexibility issues—scope of practice (SOP) and licensing—in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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GW Health Workforce Research Center logo
Publication

Health Professions Regulation in the US

Topics: Scope of Practice (SOP)

June 8, 2023

A key goal of health reform in the US is to improve population health through expanded access to health insurance. Demand for high-quality, cost-effective, basic health services is anticipated to grow, particularly for underserved populations. However, there is also growing concern about the impact of health professions scope of practice on access, quality, and cost […]

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Research Alert

Pharmacists Colocated With Primary Care Physicians: Teaming Up for Patient Access

Authors: Emily M. Hawes | Evan Galloway | Cristen P. Page | Mary Roth McClurg | Brianna Lombardi

Topics: Emerging Models and Innovations, Integration and Collaboration, Primary Care, Scope of Practice (SOP)

February 6, 2023
This brief investigates the prevalence of colocation of pharmacists with primary care physicians (PCPs) and examines the factors associated with colocation, including geographic location.
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Carolina Health Workforce Research Center logo
Research Alert

How Actual Practice of Emergency Medical Services Personnel Aligns With the Recommended National Scope of Practice in Rural Versus Urban Areas of the US

Authors: Davis Patterson | Benjamin Stubbs | Nikiah Nudell

Topics: Scope of Practice (SOP)

March 3, 2022
This report examines the extent to which EMS professionals perform skills that correspond to the national Model credential levels and discusses variations in adherence to Model guidelines between agencies serving rural versus urban populations and agencies with volunteer versus paid staffing models.
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University of Washington Center for Health Workforce Studies logo
Research Alert

COVID-19’s Effect on the Employment Status of Health Care Workers

Authors: Natalia Oster | Susan Skillman | Bianca Frogner

Topics: COVID-19, Health Workforce Models and Projections, Scope of Practice (SOP), Staffing, Workforce Demand, Workforce Supply

June 3, 2021
This brief defines the range of work statuses that one can hold, identifies areas where overlap may create confusion, and discusses the potential long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on employment in the health care industry.
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University of Washington Center for Health Workforce Studies logo

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