Question
Is there a limit on the number of patients a nurse practitioner can see in a primary care setting in an 8-hour work day?
 | Response from Carolyn Buppert, NP, JD Attorney, Law Office of Carolyn Buppert, PC, Bethesda, Maryland |
Three issues must be addressed:
How many patients can a nurse practitioner (NP) see safely?
How many patients is it logistically possible to see in 8 hours, given the practice's physical plant and operational set-up, the patient acuity, the ability of the patients to communicate, and the ability of patients to move on their own?
How many patients does an NP need to see to keep the practice financially sound?
Only the NP and his or her supervisor can determine the answer to the first 2 questions. I can answer the third question. Generally, an NP needs to see 20 patients a day to generate enough money to make a practice profitable. However, that number depends on the fee schedule, the NP's salary and benefits, the practice's overhead expenses, and the practice's expectation of profit. The math goes like this:
20 patients x 5 days/week x 47 weeks per year = 4700 patients per year.
If the average charge per patient is $45, $45 x 4700 = $211,500 generated per year.
If the NP's salary and benefits = $100,000 ($80,000 plus $20,000 for employer taxes and benefits) and overhead expenses = $80,000 (rent on space, electronic medical record, assistants, telephone, supplies, equipment, electricity, malpractice insurance, etc.), then profit is $31,500.
Some practices will be happy with $31,500 in profit, and some will want more. However, 20 patients per 8-hour work day is considered to be a reasonable expectation for primary care.
Medscape Nurses©2010 WebMD, LLC
Cite this: Carolyn Buppert.How Many Patients Can a Nurse Practitioner See in a Day?-Medscape-Sep22,2010.
