Health Care Reform -- Doctor Shortage To Expand the Role of Registered Nurses
I'm a fan of nurse practitioners replacing the vast majority doctors.
Back in the 20's, before the AMA came in to power and all the
regulation, we had:
* House calls
* Affordable healthcare
* No need for insurance (see previous line)
* Doctors who learned as apprentices, not students
We did not have all the treatments available back then... for MMR, the
flu, cancer, herpes, etc. However all these innovations came from the
pharmaceutical industry, NOT the medical industry.
The only reasons we have this many doctors in society, instead of
patients and loved ones happily self-diagnosing the majority (but not
all) of their problems are:
* Many people still appreciate the confidence instilled by an expert
* Doctors have a monopoly on access to drugs
On Fri, May 28, 2010 at 8:37 AM, Michael Tomeo <...> wrote:
>
> Here we go , the third world conversion of medicine .........
>
> (Email forwarded from Kramer Green Zuckerman Greene & Buchsbaum, P.A., originally from Baltimore Sun)
With doctor shortage, 'Dr. Nurses' seek bigger role in primary care;
28 states consider
The following is the fifth in a series of articles on health care reform.
A nurse may soon be your doctor. With a looming shortage of primary
care doctors, 28 states are considering expanding the authority of
nurse practitioners. These nurses with advanced degrees want the right
to practice without a doctor's watchful eye and to prescribe
narcotics. And if they hold a doctorate, they want to be called
"Doctor."
For years, nurse practitioners have been playing a bigger role in the
nation's health care, especially in regions with few doctors. With 32
million more Americans gaining health insurance within a few years,
the health care overhaul is putting more money into nurse-managed
clinics.
Those newly insured patients will be looking for doctors and may find
nurses instead.
The medical establishment is fighting to protect turf. In some
statehouses, doctors have shown up in white coats to testify against
nurse practitioner bills. The American Medical Association, which
supported the national health care overhaul, says a doctor shortage is
no reason to put nurses in charge and endanger patients.
Nurse practitioners argue there's no danger. They say they're highly
trained and as skilled as doctors at diagnosing illness during office
visits. They know when to refer the sickest patients to doctor
specialists. Plus, they spend more time with patients and charge less.
Back in the 20's, before the AMA came in to power and all the
regulation, we had:
* House calls
* Affordable healthcare
* No need for insurance (see previous line)
* Doctors who learned as apprentices, not students
We did not have all the treatments available back then... for MMR, the
flu, cancer, herpes, etc. However all these innovations came from the
pharmaceutical industry, NOT the medical industry.
The only reasons we have this many doctors in society, instead of
patients and loved ones happily self-diagnosing the majority (but not
all) of their problems are:
* Many people still appreciate the confidence instilled by an expert
* Doctors have a monopoly on access to drugs
On Fri, May 28, 2010 at 8:37 AM, Michael Tomeo <...> wrote:
>
> Here we go , the third world conversion of medicine .........
>
> (Email forwarded from Kramer Green Zuckerman Greene & Buchsbaum, P.A., originally from Baltimore Sun)
With doctor shortage, 'Dr. Nurses' seek bigger role in primary care;
28 states consider
The following is the fifth in a series of articles on health care reform.
A nurse may soon be your doctor. With a looming shortage of primary
care doctors, 28 states are considering expanding the authority of
nurse practitioners. These nurses with advanced degrees want the right
to practice without a doctor's watchful eye and to prescribe
narcotics. And if they hold a doctorate, they want to be called
"Doctor."
For years, nurse practitioners have been playing a bigger role in the
nation's health care, especially in regions with few doctors. With 32
million more Americans gaining health insurance within a few years,
the health care overhaul is putting more money into nurse-managed
clinics.
Those newly insured patients will be looking for doctors and may find
nurses instead.
The medical establishment is fighting to protect turf. In some
statehouses, doctors have shown up in white coats to testify against
nurse practitioner bills. The American Medical Association, which
supported the national health care overhaul, says a doctor shortage is
no reason to put nurses in charge and endanger patients.
Nurse practitioners argue there's no danger. They say they're highly
trained and as skilled as doctors at diagnosing illness during office
visits. They know when to refer the sickest patients to doctor
specialists. Plus, they spend more time with patients and charge less.
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