Source Article -MGMA APP utilization and how care team redesign continues into 2026

MGMA conducts a weekly text-based survey with thousands of healthcare leaders. Below are key findings from the November 11 survey on APC utilization. While the results aren’t specific to Urgent Care, they are still important to note. Urgent Care has long relied heavily on APCs—and that demand will continue to grow. As workforce shortages continue across all roles, increased APC utilization in other care settings will only heighten competition for these clinicians in Urgent Care.

Key MGMA findings:

• 48% of practices added more APPs relative to physicians in 2025

• Physician vacancies are taking longer for many groups to fill — 38% of leaders reported time-to-fill increased year over year 

• By early 2025, 2 out of every 5 providers in the U.S. were APPs

• New-patient wait times hit 31 days — up 19% since 2022

• APP compensation is up 19.4% since 2020

• APP productivity is surging:

  • +39.3% encounters

  • +21.9% wRVUs

  • NP workforce grew 12% in 2024; PAs up 28% since 2020 / Physician shortage projected to reach 86,000 by 2036

To check out other MGMA stat poll results or the graphic for this one, use the link at the top