Editor’s Note: This article is part of a larger series of Q&As that originated in the future-focused UD Magazine. To see additional questions, please visit the Envisioning the Future website.

In the future, look to nurses and more integrated teams of health providers for a multitude of reasons: More nurses are getting advanced training, allowing them to practice at the top of their licenses; people are living longer, with complicated health needs; and experts predict a shortage of physicians to keep up with patient demand.

As a result, healthcare will make great use of interdisciplinary teams, including nurse practitioners, dietitians, health coaches, mental health professionals and exercise specialists. Working together, these teams will promote health and wellness at the highest level.

At UD, we are currently emulating this team approach within our Nurse Managed Primary Care Center.
This patient-centered model is not new, but it has become an increasingly sought-after form of care. As patients live longer and as their illnesses become more medically complex, primary care will rely on a holistic approach to meet the needs of patients and their families.

Carolyn Haines, MSN, FNP-C, is director of the University of Delaware’s Nurse Managed Primary Care Center, which provides comprehensive healthcare to the greater Newark community.