Table 2.
Laboratory Tests, Radiology Tests, and Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drug Changes among Practices With and Without Nurse Practitioners or Physician Assistants, by Visit
| NP or PA | Rheumatologist only | P-value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visits, n | 1168 | 814 | |
|
| |||
| Laboratory tests | 950 (81.3%) | 501 (61.5%) | <0.001 |
|
| |||
| Radiology tests | 232 (19.9%) | 110 (13.5%) | <0.004 |
|
| |||
| DMARD starts | 103 (8.8%) | 62 (7.6%) | 0.01 |
|
| |||
| DMARD stops | 90 (7.7%) | 54 (6.6%) | 0.02 |
|
| |||
| Corticosteroid starts | 37 (3.2%) | 39 (4.8%) | 0.23 |
|
| |||
| Corticosteroid stops | 30 (2.6%) | 41 (5.0%) | 0.02 |
|
| |||
| Disease activity measures noted at visits with DMARD starts | 0.02 | ||
|
| |||
| Remission | 12 (11.6%) | 4 (6.5%) | 0.27 |
| Low disease activity | 32 (31.1%) | 10 (16.1%) | 0.03 |
| Moderate disease activity | 44 (42.7%) | 21 (33.9%) | 0.26 |
| High disease activity | 15 (14.6%) | 27 (43.5%) | <0.001 |
NP, nurse practitioner; PA, physician assistant; DMARD, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug. Laboratory and radiology tests refer to at least one order.