General

Replacing physicians with PAs and NPs increases costs for patients. A large-scale study in Mississippi makes a clear case for physician-led care offering a better value.

It’s Doctors’ Day. A time for appreciation. And for clarity! Too few patients actually have access to a physician. And confusion is growing about what makes a “doctor.”

Should Virginia NPs be allowed to practice without physician supervision after only two years of experience? Gov. Glenn Youngkin may decide as early as today.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has a bill on his desk awaiting signature that would dismantle physician-led care and put patients at risk. Learn more in our latest alert to Wisconsin Physicians.

As women physicians and members of Physicians for Patient Protection, a grassroots patient advocacy group 12,500 physicians strong, we witness daily the extraordinary genius of women physicians.

PPP's Rebekah Bernard writes: "By squelching dialogue and debate, NP and PA leaders are doing a disservice to their professions, which... are due for a major overhaul to ensure patient safety."

PPP's Rebekah Bernard responds to the article, saying: "If a fully trained physician... is considered inadequate to care for intensive care patients, how then can it be considered safe to allow NPs and PAs, with far less training, to fill that same role?"

Instead of strengthening protections for patients, the Virginia General Assembly is expanding autonomous practice for nurse practitioners (NPs).

Two harmful bills are advancing again in 2022 that would remove physician oversight for the state’s APRNs and eliminate requirements for PAs to have a formal relationship with a physician.

Legislation has allowed non-physician practitioners (NPPs) to independently diagnose patients, without physician supervision. HOWEVER, consumer protection laws have not kept up with this trend.