NP Central started out as Nurse Practitioner Support Services, which was founded in 1993 by Robert T. Smithing, MSN, FNP and Madeline D. Wiley, MSN, FNP as an offshoot of their nurse practitioner owned and operated family practice which was receiving innumerable queries about their independent practice and issues affecting nurse practitioners.

In an effort to enhance communication amongst nurse practitioners across the country, several options were considered. These included print publications, an electronic bulletin board and another option that was new for its time, the Internet. Initially the newsgroup alt.npractitioners was established early in 1994. It quickly became evident that nurse practitioners were not adept at the use of newsgroups, but that they were comfortable using electronic mail. At the time, there were no Internet Service Providers (ISPs), who could be found that could provide hosting for electronic mailing lists. Not known for allowing barriers to stand in their way, Bob and Maddy obtained the requisite equipment and expertise to become an Internet Service Provider. This business was called Internet Wizards, and today NP Central and Internet Wizards are an integrated corporation.

Once the equipment was in place, the electronic mailing list NPinfo was established in 1994. This list, which is still active today, is a discussion group for nurse practitioners across all specialties. As additional information about the Internet's potential continued to become available NPSS established a web site called NP Central on the Internet in late 1994.

NP Central has continued to develop other products and services that are of interest to NPs nationwide, and hopes to continue to serve the wonderful group of men and women who call themselves nurse practitioners!

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NP Central
10024 S.E. 240th St., Suite #102, Kent, WA 98031
Phone: 253.852.9042 Fax: 253.852.7725
info@npcentral.net
NP Central Gateway http://www.npcentral.net/

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