Patients at Risk: Listen or Watch the Newest Episodes
Patients at Risk, an audio and video podcast, exposes the political maneuvering and corporate greed that has led to the replacement of physicians by lesser trained practitioners, including nurse practitioners and physician assistants. As corporations seek to save money and government agencies aim to increase constituent access, minimum qualifications for our nation’s healthcare guardians continue to decline—with deadly consequences.
- Debunking Cochrane's 'Nurses Can Replace Hospital Physicians' Study
on July 26, 2026A 2026 Cochrane review claims "little to no difference between nurse‐physician substitution and physician‐led care" in a hospital setting.Phil Shaffer, MD reviews all 82 studies to prove the major fallacy: NO study included in the analysis involved true substitution of nurses for physicians to perform physician-level care.https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD013616.pub2/fullPhysiciansForPatientProtection.org
- Shocking urgent care study: 64% wrong diagnosison May 16, 2026
Most urgent cares are staffed by NPs/PAs, often without physician supervision - can you trust them with your life?Dr. John Lafferty shares details from a study showing that of 300 referrals from urgent cares to the ER, 55% were unnecessary and 64% resulted in a 'discordant' (different) diagnosis."Our data found that 55% of patients referred to EDs from UCCs did notrequire ED-specific care or resources and 64% carried a discordant diagnosis between UC and ED diagnosis. We suggest quality remedies, such as educational sessions and engagement with telemedicine sub-specialists as well as a coordinated formalized system for UCC to ED referrals."Poyorena C, Patel S, Keim A, et al. Evaluating urgent care center referrals to the emergency department. J Am Coll Emerg Physicians Open. 2022;3(6):e12838. Published 2022 Dec 7. doi:10.1002/emp2.12838PhysiciansForPatientProtection.org
- NP advocates testify in Florida for unsupervised practice rights in psychiatryon February 17, 2026
When we think of potentially vulnerable patients, it just doesn't get riskier than those with mental health conditions, especially children. Yet, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners are seeking the right to care for patients 'across the lifespan'--including those with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and addiction--without physician oversight. Listen in on testimony in Florida with commentary on why their argument of promoting 'access' without ensuring patient safety may be dangerous to patients.PhysiciansForPatientProtection.orgPhysiciansForPatientProtection.org
- South Carolina Medical Association fights to ensure patient access to physician-led careon January 18, 2026
South Carolina Medical Association (SCMA) immediate past president Mayes DuBose, MD and Vice President of Advocacy and Policy Counsel Holly Pisarik discuss efforts that the association has led in fighting bills that would allow unsupervised practice rights to NPs and PAs after just 2,000 hours of clinical hour experience - and let PAs switch specialties after just 1,000 hours.https://www.scmedical.org/Get the books: Patients at Risk https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08M9YJQR3/Imposter Doctors: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1627344438/PhysiciansForPatientProtection.org
- The 'P-word': Taking the No Provider Pledgeon December 26, 2025
Dr. Robert McLean, former President of the American College of Physicians discusses the negative impact of the word provider, and encourages all physicians to take the 'No Provider Pledge.'PhysiciansForPatientProtection.org
- Debunking Cochrane's "Nurses Can Replace Physicians in Hospitals" Study
on July 26, 2026A 2026 Cochrane review claims "little to no difference between nurse‐physician substitution and physician‐led care" in a hospital setting. Phil Shaffer, MD reviews all 82 studies to prove the major fallacy: NO study included in the analysis involved true substitution of nurses for physicians to perform physician-level care. https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD013616.pub2/full PhysiciansForPatientProtection.org
- Unsupervised Practice: How NP Lobbyists Convince Legislators
on June 28, 2026Nurse practitioner lobbyist testifies to Florida legislators that psych NPs can manage schizophrenia and bipolar disorder alone, that psychiatrists won't take NP referrals because they fear 'competition', and that NPs are as good as physicians: in fact, they TEACH med students and residents...
- Shocking urgent care study: 64% wrong diagnosis
on May 16, 2026Most urgent cares are staffed by NPs/PAs, often without physician supervision - can you trust them with your life? Dr. John Lafferty shares details from a study showing that of 300 referrals from urgent cares to the ER, 55% were unnecessary and 64% resulted in a 'discordant' (different) diagnosis. "Our data found that 55% of patients referred to EDs from UCCs did not require ED-specific care or resources and 64% carried a discordant diagnosis between UC and ED diagnosis. We suggest quality remedies, such as educational sessions and engagement with telemedicine sub-specialists as well as a coordinated formalized system for UCC to ED referrals." Poyorena C, Patel S, Keim A, et al. Evaluating urgent care center referrals to the emergency department. J Am Coll Emerg Physicians Open. 2022;3(6):e12838. Published 2022 Dec 7. doi:10.1002/emp2.12838 More on urgent care: https://youtu.be/pNSWr1GSBnU - 7year old dies after pediatric urgent care visit https://youtu.be/auhrY5KNQiQ - patient referred to ER with 'abnormal' EKG that is a normal variant
- Psychiatry without physicians? Psych NP testimony in Florida
on February 18, 2026When we think of potentially vulnerable patients, it just doesn't get riskier than those with mental health conditions, especially children. Yet, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners are seeking the right to care for patients 'across the lifespan'--including those with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and addiction--without physician oversight. Listen in on testimony in Florida with commentary on why their argument of promoting 'access' without ensuring patient safety may be dangerous to patients. PhysiciansForPatientProtection.org
- South Carolina Medical Association fights to ensure patient access to physician-led care
on January 18, 2026South Carolina Medical Association (SCMA) immediate past president Mayes DuBose, MD and Vice President of Advocacy and Policy Counsel Holly Pisarik discuss efforts that the association has led in fighting bills that would allow unsupervised practice rights to NPs and PAs after just 2,000 hours of clinical hour experience - and let PAs switch specialties after just 1,000 hours. Physiciansforpatientprotection.org