Having a primary care provider is important and some health insurance plans even require you to select one. But does that provider need to be a doctor (MD)? The good news is your primary care provider doesn’t need to be an MD. They can be an advanced nurse practitioner (APRN) or physician assistant (PA). We’re here to explain the differences between MDs, APRNs and PAs.
Have you ever called Renown Health to schedule an appointment with your doctor and the Contact Center offered you an earlier appointment with an APRN or PA? Did you wonder why? Perhaps you even declined because you were concerned about the continuity of your care, or wondered about the qualifications of the other practitioners who aren’t doctors. We’re here to answer your important questions about primary care providers and the different types.
Why would I want to see anyone other than a doctor?
In order to keep up with demand for primary care services and provide the highest quality care possible, Renown created care teams. This means our doctors, APRNs and PAs all work hand-in-hand to manage your health with the benefit of their combined expertise. This team approach provides you with more flexible scheduling options to see anyone on the care team, all with the same continuity of care.
How qualified are APRNs and PAs to treat patients?
APRNs and PAs are highly educated in medicine with a minimum of a Master of Science degree and at least six years post-high school education. Some APRNs even have doctorate degrees. Similar to doctors, both positions have a minimum number of required clinic hours and participate in continued education.
Both APRNs and Pas are just as qualified as doctors (MDs and DOs) to conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, write prescriptions and even deliver babies. There are some instances where you need a doctor, including specialized treatment of complicated or high risk conditions or surgery. Your APRN or PA will refer you to a doctor in those instances. You don’t need to worry about whom to see when – your care team will guide you based on your medical needs.
If I see an APRN or PA, will my doctor know about my visit?
Absolutely. The care team system ensures that everyone on your care team is aware of the details of your visit, regardless of who you’re seeing. Everything is clearly documented in your medical record so there are no gaps in care between visits.
Can an APRN or PA be my primary care provider?
Definitely. APRNs and PAs make excellent primary care providers and can be established with your insurance company.
Learn more about the differences between doctors, APRNs, PAs and more with this handy infographic.
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Renown Medical Group primary care providers provide annual exams by appointment.
Our providers coordinate each patient’s medical care including checkups, immunizations, referrals to specialists, lab work, X-ray & imaging and hospital admissions.
Remember the 2000s era iPhone commercial with the “There’s an App for That” tagline? Let’s put a healthcare spin on that – at Renown Health, there’s a unit for that. Emergency, labor and delivery, pediatric acute care, trauma, surgery, the list goes on.
When it comes to critical care, your mind probably jumps to either the intensive care unit (ICU), emergency room (ER) or a unit that provides care for a more standard hospitalization. But what about the patients who fall in between those two levels of care?
Yep, there’s a unit for that at Renown, too. It’s called the Intermediate Care Unit (IMCU), located on the sixth floor of the Tahoe Tower (T6) at Renown Regional Medical Center, boasting a dedicated team of nurses, physicians, critical care technicians and more.
The IMCU cares for patients who still need close monitoring and specialized care but don't need an ICU stay. Everyone in this department shares common missions: catch early signs of change, intervene swiftly and help patients progress to a lower level of care – and eventually, back home.
August is National Make-a-Will month. We talked to Renown Health Foundation Planned Giving Officer, Abbey Stephenson, to learn more about wills, trusts and estate plans and why you should feel motivated this month to get started.
Did you know that 2/3 of Americans don't have a will or trust? If this is you, don’t worry, you’re not alone.
Although there are laws in place to determine who inherits your assets if you die without a will or trust, having a will or trust ensures your assets go where you want them to go after you are gone. They can also help minimize disputes between family members and heirs about who gets what. In Nevada, the laws that govern who gets what if you die without a will or trust can be found in Chapter 134 of the Nevada Revised Statutes.
There are other documents that people often prepare at the same time as their will or trust – like an advance health care directive and durable power of attorney for assets. These documents all together are called an estate plan.
Although they have other purposes too (like nominating a guardian for a child, planning for disability or avoiding probate, which is a court process), wills and trusts are documents that say who will receive your assets after you are gone. The most common type of trust is often called a revocable living trust or a family trust. People who have a trust usually still have a will, although it is a shorter form of will called a pour-over will. It’s a good idea to talk to an estate planning attorney about whether or not a trust makes sense for your family or circumstances.
Now that you’re ready to get started, here are some mistakes to avoid:
When you meet Amy Hebel-Brenner – who you may recognize on the front cover of the 2025 Senior Care Plus Best Start Booklet – you are immediately greeted with a warm smile. Behind that smile is a passion for family, mental health, the great outdoors and leaving the world a better place.
