Waltham, MA – July 24, 2025 – As the shortage of primary care physicians grows, more injured workers are receiving initial care from advanced practitioners—nurse practitioners and physician assistants. A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) asks a timely question: Does it make a difference?

“There’s growing interest in understanding how provider type influences outcomes,” said Sebastian Negrusa, WCRI’s vice president of research. “Some worry that advanced practitioners may lack the specialized experience to manage certain injuries. This study sheds light on how care provided by nurse practitioners and physician assistants shapes patterns of care and claim outcomes.”

WCRI tested these concerns by comparing claim outcomes when the initial provider was an advanced practitioner versus a physician. Key measures included the following:

  • Time to first nonemergency office visit
  • Number of medical visits
  • Use and timing of specialty care
  • MRI use within six weeks
  • Medical and indemnity payments
  • Duration of temporary disability

The analysis for the study, Advanced Practitioners and Workers’ Compensation Claim Outcomes, draws on detailed claims and medical data from 29 states, covering over 80 percent of workers’ compensation benefits paid in 2022. It includes injuries from October 1, 2012, to September 30, 2022, and tracks outcomes up to 6 or 12 months postinjury.

The full report, authored by Bogdan Savych and Olesya Fomenko, is available to WCRI members and for purchase by nonmembers.

ABOUT WCRI

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Organized in 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.