Primary Care Workforce Crisis Looming in Oregon: Nurse Practitioners Vital to Filling the Gap, But Not Enough to Go Around

Oregon’s healthcare system is at a tipping point, with mounting primary care needs outstripping the availability of providers across the state. While nurse practitioners (NPs) are well-positioned to ease the burden—particularly in full practice states like Oregon—most are not working in settings or specialties classified as primary care. In fact, only one-quarter of Oregon’s practicing NPs are estimated to meet both the specialty and setting criteria to qualify as primary care nurse practitioners (PCNPs).

This gap in primary care delivery is especially striking given the robust growth of the NP workforce in recent years. Yet growth alone has not translated into greater access, particularly in urban areas where many NPs work in specialty roles. A detailed geographic and role-based analysis shows rural counties may have better per-capita access to PCNPs than urban counterparts—challenging assumptions about workforce distribution.

To address this imbalance, the report recommends targeted recruitment and incentive programs, expansion of NP education pathways within Oregon, and a deeper understanding of why NPs choose or avoid primary care roles. Without decisive action, Oregon’s provider shortfall will persist, and communities most in need will remain underserved.