Primary care capacity can be greatly increased without many more providers, by empowering licensed personnel (such as RNs) to provide more care and by creating standing orders for nonlicensed health personnel (such as MAs) to address many preventive and chronic care needs. Article: Bodenheimer TS, Smith MD. Primary care: proposed solutions to the physician shortage without training more physicians. Health Aff (Millwood). 2013. Nov;32(11):1881-6.

This guide is loaded with tools for empanelment. See pages 11-15 in particular. It is important to measure supply and demand. This information is relevant to all types of primary care practices, not just those in safety net clinics.

See the MA module of this team guide for ideas on how MAs can become more involved in preventive care. Other team members have a role before, during, and after visits to engage patients -- even without a traditional provider encounter.

Learn how one LEAP site, West County Health Centers, made improvements to patient care and creating more access by enhancing communications across care team members in this webinar organized by the Center for Care Innovations.