AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 19, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The
following statement is attributable to Joyce Knestrick, PhD, APRN, C-FNP, FAANP,
concerning the American Medical Association's call for a national
strategy opposing independent practice for non-physician health
care providers, including model legislation and public relations
campaigns.
"The American Medical Association (AMA) has asserted, once
again, its commitment to put the profit of its physician membership
ahead of patients and their access to high-quality health
care. Today, there are more than 234,000 nurse practitioners
practicing across the United
States, strengthening health care access and delivery in
nearly every community in the country and every health care setting
- from clinics, hospitals, Veterans Affairs and Indian Health Care
facilities, emergency rooms, urgent care sites, private physician
or NP practices (both managed and owned by NPs), nursing homes,
schools, colleges, retail clinics, public health departments, nurse
managed clinics, homeless clinics to home health.
While the AMA focuses its efforts on resolutions and tactics
designed to limit patient access to the health care provider of
their choice, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners
(AANP) and its members continue to ensure every patient gains
access to the health care they need, when and where they need
it. Overwhelmingly, the American public supports policies
that give them direct access to the health care provider of their
choice.
Today, we call on the AMA to stop hampering access to care. Stop
the rhetoric and resolutions that undermine patient choice, access
and true coordinated care. The AMA's ongoing fear mongering
and physician protectionist resolutions are hurting patients and
negatively impacting the health of our nation. It's time the AMA
lay their dated tactics aside. The evidence is clear: Nurse
practitioners provide safe, high quality care; and states where NPs
are prevented from independent license consistently rank among the
poorest on health outcomes, access to primary care and geographic
disparities in care.
Every major study over the last 50 years has found care provided
by nurse practitioners to be safe, effective and similar in outcome
to care provided by physicians. There is no study that
suggests that care provided in states with more restrictive
licensure is safer than states with independent licensure. In
fact, more recent studies have suggested that states with more
restricted laws, like those proposed by the AMA, cost more, impede
access, and are less efficient. A system built in this manner does
not serve patients' health care needs, and we strive for something
better. We strive to ensure high-quality health care access
and positive health outcomes through the health care provider of
their choice.
For decades, AANP has stood with and for patients to advocate
for patient choice, improved access to care, and the removal of
artificial and dated barriers to care. In that time, 40
percent of states have adopted Full Practice Authority and tens of
millions of patients have gained direct and timely access to
care.
AANP will continue to advocate for patients and policies that
support their health, including Full Practice Authority, retiring
barriers to care, and the adoption of the Consensus Model for APRN
licensure."
The American Association of Nurse Practitioners
(AANP) is the largest professional membership organization
for nurse practitioners (NPs) of all specialties. It represents the
interests of the more than 234,000 licensed NPs in the U.S. AANP
provides legislative leadership at the local, state and national
levels, advancing health policy; promoting excellence in practice,
education and research; and establishing standards that best serve
NP patients and other health care consumers. As The Voice
of the Nurse Practitioner®, AANP represents the interests of
NPs as providers of high-quality, cost-effective, comprehensive,
patient-centered health care. To locate a nurse practitioner in
your community, go to npfinder.com. For more information about
NPs, visit aanp.org.
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SOURCE American Association of Nurse Practitioners