Medical Doctor vs Nurse Practitioner for Senior Citizen (blood tests, prescription, specialist)

[Solere]

I am writing this on behalf of a non-tech savvy senior citizen on Medicare. He has a primary care physician (an M.D.) that he visits for physicals and for a prescription for a non-controlled maintenance medication. He is hesitant to visit the doctor for a physical and prescription renewal for his medication, because the 3rd party facility that draws blood is large and packed with people, and even though he is vaccinated against Covid-19, he avoids indoor settings with large numbers of people. He is in excellent health and really only needs a new prescription for the same maintenance medication he's been taking for years.

In his state, a nurse practitioner can prescribe maintenance medication without the supervisory authority of a medical doctor. Do nurse practitioners perform physicals and prescribe maintenance medication like a M.D. would? Are blood tests done in office vs at a large 3rd party facility? Is there a significant difference in patient care/quality for a routine physical between a nurse practitioner and a medical doctor?

Thank you for any insights.

[Roselvr]

Originally Posted by Happs

I am writing this on behalf of a non-tech savvy senior citizen on Medicare. He has a primary care physician (an M.D.) that he visits for physicals and for a prescription for a non-controlled maintenance medication. He is hesitant to visit the doctor for a physical and prescription renewal for his medication, because the 3rd party facility that draws blood is large and packed with people, and even though he is vaccinated against Covid-19, he avoids indoor settings with large numbers of people. He is in excellent health and really only needs a new prescription for the same maintenance medication he's been taking for years.

In his state, a nurse practitioner can prescribe maintenance medication without the supervisory authority of a medical doctor. Do nurse practitioners perform physicals and prescribe maintenance medication like a M.D. would? Are blood tests done in office vs at a large 3rd party facility? Is there a significant difference in patient care/quality for a routine physical between a nurse practitioner and a medical doctor?

Thank you for any insights.

Usually doctors offices also have nurse practitioners. My new ENT has one, she does everything the doctor does including putting the scope in my nose to look at the base of my tongue.

The doctor I go to has a Labcorp in their building so I don't have to go to a large facility which I love. You may want to see if you can find a university doctors office like I go to that also has a lab in the same building.

I'm not vaccinated so wouldn't go to a large place to get blood done.

I wonder if he can go to an urgent care for the script and blood work or wouldn't he want to do something like that either?

[GreggT]

Originally Posted by Happs

I am writing this on behalf of a non-tech savvy senior citizen on Medicare. He has a primary care physician (an M.D.) that he visits for physicals and for a prescription for a non-controlled maintenance medication. He is hesitant to visit the doctor for a physical and prescription renewal for his medication, because the 3rd party facility that draws blood is large and packed with people, and even though he is vaccinated against Covid-19, he avoids indoor settings with large numbers of people. He is in excellent health and really only needs a new prescription for the same maintenance medication he's been taking for years.

In his state, a nurse practitioner can prescribe maintenance medication without the supervisory authority of a medical doctor. Do nurse practitioners perform physicals and prescribe maintenance medication like a M.D. would? Are blood tests done in office vs at a large 3rd party facility? Is there a significant difference in patient care/quality for a routine physical between a nurse practitioner and a medical doctor?

Thank you for any insights.

My wife and I use a Nurse Practitioner and have for many years. We go every 6 months for blood work (Which is done in the same office by Quest). I can't remember the last time we saw the actual doctor.
I think, as with doctors, the quality of car given varies with the Nurse Practitioner. In our case, we find ours is quite a bit more knowledgable than most actual doctors we have seen. She is not hesitant at all in referring us to a specialist when needed.

[Medical Lab Guy]

I think what you mean to ask is how to avoid all contact with strangers in waiting rooms and don't want to wait seeing somebody for a physical or having blood work done and if seeing an NP can cut out or reduce contact?

It depends on what the medication is for and the actual effects the medication side effects can be. There is a balance between not enough medication or too much medication. One has to monitor the drug and the condition one is taking the drug for. An NP or a doctor are obligated to follow the standard of care that is required otherwise they are subject to lawsuits if anything happens. Having said that most states allowed for remote visits for doctors through televisits with a computer. Ask your doctors office to set up such a visit in order to get a refill and if he insists on lab work then call the lab and ask for an appointment or if they don't set appointments then walk in and give them your info and hand them a note if the room is full with your cell phone number and to call you while you wait outside.

Any waits can be done outside if they have your phone number so no need to linger indoors waiting around others.

[easy62]

A NP is usually in a MD office because they cannot prescribe certain meds without a MD approval and the md has to sigh for the Perscription.