Facing a nationwide shortage of primary care physicians, some states in recent years have eased up on regulations that create barriers for nurse practitioners who want to work as primary care providers. States with the fewest restrictions on NPs’ scope of practice had 2.5 times more patients receiving primary care than did the most restrictive states, according to a UTMB study. UTMB’s Kathryn Fiandt commented on the important role of NPs in health care. (Link unavailable.)