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Action Alert: Contact your Legislators about HB 607, HB 7053 and SB 1676

Important Member Action Alert:

As you may know, there are several bills moving quickly and passing through committees in both the House (HB 607 and HB 7053) and Senate (SB 1676) that if passed, it would allow independent practice for nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

The Florida Society of Pathologists urges you to contact your legislator to emphasize the risks to patient safety from independent practice by non-medical doctors.  This is not just an issue for our primary care physician colleagues. If non-physicians are allowed to practice medicine in one area, they will use this example to gain entry into all physician specialties.  We value nurse practitioners and physician assistants as members of the health care team, but we cannot support independent practice, if they have not gone to medical school.

How you can help:

  • Call, email and write your House and Senate representative today!

  • To find out which House member represents your district go here. To find your Senate representative go here.

  • Click here for a template letter to send to your legislators via email, along with key messages to share when you call.

The Florida Society of Pathologists, the Florida Medical Association and 50 other county medical and specialty societies from across the state formed the Florida Patient Protection Coalition (FPPC) to educate the public on the benefits of physician-led, team-based care, and are in opposition to any scope of practice expansion legislation. We need your support to help defeat efforts to pass this legislation that would allow for independent practice for nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
 

Publication Date: 
Thursday, February 27, 2020 - 11:00am

Comments

nriddlemd

Tue, 03/10/2020 - 11:23

I write first and foremost as a patient.  I have a bone disease and have been in and out of hospitals since infancy.  I persoanally have numerous stories of where the differences in education are very apparent and quite frightening.  Also, in my line of work, I see so many cases that were treated inapproriately or not escalated properly by nurse practitioners.  As a pathologist, I am not concerend about my professional 'well-being', as we are not affected from a work standpoint.  I truly am only worried about the horrific impact on patient care and how we will not be able to  put this back in the box'

 

As a constituent in your district, I  urge you to stop legislation that would grant independent practice for nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

The language in House Bill 607, House Bill 7053 and Senate Bill 1676 puts independent practice for nurse practitioners and physician assistants above patient safety, and the Florida legislature should remain firm that patient safety comes first.

Supervision and collaborative agreements between physicians and nurse practitioners and physician assistants ensure that physician expertise is available for emergencies and complex patients. The education and training differences between physicians and nurse practitioners and physician assistants is significant. It is this rigorous education and training that better prepares physicians to diagnose and treat complex cases and patients with multiple conditions. We should not compromise and allow for tiered healthcare for the citizens of Florida. Patients deserve better!

Nurse practitioners and physician assistants are valuable members of the health care team, yet on their own with independent practice authority, their ability to provide high quality health care services is limited by their education and training, as compared with a physician.  

I support the efforts of the Florida Patient Protection Coalition, whose 50-plus medical professional societies agree that physician-led, team-based care is best for all Floridians. I ask that you oppose the advancement of legislation expanding scope of practice of nurse practitioners and physician assistants, including House Bill 607, House Bill 7053 and Senate Bill 1676 and any other legislation that has been modified to include expansion of scope, in the Florida Senate.

 

Thank you for your time and support.