BCH Advanced Practice Providers (APPs); an integral part of the health care team

Advanced practice providers (APPs) include many health care professionals on a hospital or clinic’s care team. These expert clinicians with advanced degrees are not physicians but do similar work and are a valuable part of the diverse health care teams at Boulder Community Health (BCH).

These titles include physician assistants (PAs), nurse practitioners (NPs), certified nurse midwives (CNMs) and more.

APPs provide exceptional care by:

• Gathering your health history
• Performing physical exams
• Reviewing diagnostic tests and imaging
• Diagnosing and treating illnesses and injuries in the urgent care, ER, hospital and clinic settings
• Performing minor procedures
• Assisting in surgeries
• Managing chronic diseases
• Prescribing medications
• Providing education and preventative care

At BCH, we have many highly qualified APPs who provide care across our health system.

Physician Assistants

Physician Assistants (PA) are state-licensed health care providers with a master’s degree or higher who are educated in the medical school model and are trained to diagnose and treat illness, as well as provide preventative care in a team-based medical practice with physicians. They are trained to treat pediatric, adolescent, adult and elderly populations on an inpatient or outpatient basis and they may also assist in surgeries. PAs can be your specialist, internist, or primary care provider.

Physician Assistant credentials may include PA‑C (Physician Assistant Certified). The “C” indicates that a PA is certified by the National Commission of Certification of Physician Assistants.

Advanced Practice Registered Nurses

All Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) are registered nurses (RNs) with additional education and training resulting in a master’s degree in nursing (MSN) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. APRNs are licensed through state boards of nursing to provide patient care within their role, patient population focus, and state regulatory parameters.

At BCH, these expert providers include:

FNP – Family Nurse Practitioner

A family nurse practitioner (FNP) is trained to provide medical care across the lifespan, including prenatal, pediatric, adolescent, adult and elderly populations. FNPs can be your hospitalist, specialist or primary care provider.

ANP/AGNP – Adult Nurse Practitioner/Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner

Adult Nurse Practitioners (ANPs) and Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioners (AGNPs) provide primary and specialty health care to adolescents, adults, older adults, and the elderly. ANP/AGNP can be your specialist, Internist, or primary care provider.

WHNP – Women's Health Nurse Practitioner

A Women's Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) specializes in the comprehensive care of women throughout their lifespans. They focus on reproductive, obstetric, and gynecological health as well as preventive health maintenance. A patient can be seen by a WHNP throughout their entire life, in a primary-care environment related or unrelated to conception and pregnancy.

PMHNP – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

A Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) combines a variety of nursing, psychosocial and neurobiological expertise, and methodologies to diagnose, treat and improve the outcomes of their patients. PMHNPs work with individuals, families, groups, and communities surrounding all aspects of mental health.

Nurse Practitioner certification credentials differ according to the certifying body. You may see the credentials NP-BC (Nurse Practitioner-Board Certified). This indicates that an NP is board certified by either the American Nurses Credentialing Center or National Certification Corporation. You may also see NP-C (Nurse Practitioner Certified), in which they are certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board.

Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM)

A Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) is an advanced practice registered nurse who goes through comprehensive training to provide independent care for individuals during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum. CNMs focus on providing you and your family with holistic, high-quality prenatal care and an empowering birth experience.

CNMs also provide primary care for individuals from adolescence throughout the lifespan, including wellness exams, sexual and reproductive health, gynecologic health, family planning services including preconception counseling.

All midwives at BCH are CNMs. A CNM is certified under the American Midwifery Certification Board.

At BCH, you have the option to choose a CNM instead of an obstetrician/gynecologist (OB-GYN) for most of your women's health care needs. CNMs at BCH provide care at the Foothills Community Midwives on the Foothills campus and Erie Medical Center and also at The Birth Center of Boulder.

Come meet our APPs

BCH is committed to providing a high-quality, accessible and safe health care journey for each of our patients. With 79 APPs at BCH across primary care and multiple specialties, they are here to assist in all aspects of your care. Visit our provider directory to view our extensive APP team.