Mid-level practitioner

Mid-level practitioners, also called non-physician practitioners, advanced practice providers, or commonly mid-levels are health care providers who assess, diagnose, and treat patients but do not have as extensive of an education as a physician. The scope of a mid-level practitioner varies greatly between countries and even between individual practitioners. Some mid-level practitioners work closely under the supervision of a physician (such as doing pre-op and post-op assessment and management, thus allowing surgeons to spend more of their time operating), while others function independently and have a scope of practice difficult to distinguish from a physician. The legal scope of practice for mid-level practitioners varies greatly between jurisdiction, with some having a restricted and well-defined scope, while others have a scope similar to that of a physician. Likewise, the training requirement for mid-level practitioners varies greatly between and within different certifications and licensures. Because of their diverse histories, mid-level providers' training, functions, scope of practice, regulation, and integration into the formal health system vary from country to country. They have highly variable levels of education and may have a formal credential and accreditation through the licensing bodies in their jurisdictions. In some places, but not others, they provide healthcare, particularly in rural and remote areas, to make up for physician shortages. The World Health Organization includes in this category all healthcare providers with all of the following qualifications: trained and legally authorized to provide healthcare, having at least two years training at university or other institution of higher education, and able to diagnose and treat medical conditions, within the scope of their training and licensure, by prescribing medication and/or performing surgery. In Canada there are four "allied primary health practitioners" identified under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) section 3124: physician assistant, nurse practitioner, midwife, and anesthesiologist assistant.