MedPage Today (3/25, Monaco) reports a study found that “a growing proportion of antipsychotic prescriptions for older adults were written by nonphysician clinicians, reflecting shifts in the mental health care workforce and prescribing practices.” According to the study, “from 2013 to 2023, antipsychotic prescription claims for Medicare Part D beneficiaries written by psychiatrists and primary care physicians (PCPs) declined annually by 3.2% and 2.6%, respectively.” However, “prescriptions from advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) and physician assistants (PAs)…rose by 11.8% each year.” Researchers observed that “over the decade, the proportion of prescriptions decreased for psychiatrists (from 48.4% to 32.4%) and PCPs (from 33% to 23.8%) but nearly tripled for APRNs and PAs, jumping from 13.8% to 39.6%.” The study was published in JAMA Network Open.
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