FNP practice rights?

[MJB]

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I must be confused on the practice rights of FNP's...as I was driving home yesterday on a route I haven't used in a while, I noticed a new clinic...and I had seen it advertised in a local paper recently as well...so I drove by this morning to inspect a little further.
They are a "Family Care Clinic" open 8am-8pm M-F and 9-3 on Saturdays...the three names on the doors were all FNP's. These were the same three I had seen in the ads...I just assumed there were some physicians that were opening a clinic and "introducing" their NP's via the ads...I think I was wrong.




As someone strongly considering FP as my specialty, this concerns me greatly...are they really able to practice completely independently? Are they able to bill as an FP PHYSICIAN would?

 

[Paseo Del Norte]

I must be confused on the practice rights of FNP's...as I was driving home yesterday on a route I haven't used in a while, I noticed a new clinic...and I had seen it advertised in a local paper recently as well...so I drove by this morning to inspect a little further.
They are a "Family Care Clinic" open 8am-8pm M-F and 9-3 on Saturdays...the three names on the doors were all FNP's. These were the same three I had seen in the ads...I just assumed there were some physicians that were opening a clinic and "introducing" their NP's via the ads...I think I was wrong.




As someone strongly considering FP as my specialty, this concerns me greatly...are they really able to practice completely independently? Are they able to bill as an FP PHYSICIAN would?

Yes, in some states a NP can practice medicine completely independent of any physician involvement. Furthermore, there is a huge political push for the ability to bill (nationally) medicaid and Medicare the same or very similar to physicians. I belie e this already occurs in some areas.

You need to spend some time looking at the various threads on this topic. In addition, I would urge you to research the various claims for yourself. I would also say you need to get involved at the grass roots and even federal level if you conclude that this in fact a problem.

Unfortunately, generations of past physicians have allowed this issue to boil over into the current mess we now face.

 

[JustPlainBill]

As someone strongly considering FP as my specialty, this concerns me greatly...are they really able to practice completely independently? Are they able to bill as an FP PHYSICIAN would?

Why should this concern you? There will always be plenty of work for FPs....no matter how many NPs there are.....Keeping my personal feelings about NPs aside, it really doesn't matter to me....I chose FP because it made ME happy, not because of any future financial reward/whatever.

Love what you do, no matter what you'll never work one day......

 

[MJB]

Why should this concern you? There will always be plenty of work for FPs....no matter how many NPs there are.....Keeping my personal feelings about NPs aside, it really doesn't matter to me....I chose FP because it made ME happy, not because of any future financial reward/whatever.

Love what you do, no matter what you'll never work one day......

My #1 concern is that patients see these people who have much less formal training when compared to physicians. To me, that is dangerous.

My other concerns would center around the fact it would hack me off if they are allowed all the same rights and "perks" of being a physician without having to put in the effort it takes to be a physician.

I had an attending go OFF about PA's and NP's last fall and I didn't really "get it" then...but I think I'm starting to.

 

[deleted87716]

NPs already have independent practice rights in many states. My understanding, however, is that they still need a supervising physician in Tennessee, who must sign off on 20% of the charts each month. In the case of the clinic in question, he/she is probably off-site. They are still liable, however, for anything that goes wrong. It's really no different than an NP-staffed retail clinic.

Fact is, most of 'em don't want independent practice, for good reason. The NPs in that clinic will face the same financial pressures that confront primary care physicians.

Related articles:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3958/is_200301/ai_n9216872/

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/jun/21/serving-the-undeserved/

http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=124463&provider=rss

 

[Boatswain2PA]

MJB - big difference between PAs and NPs in this regard. The nursing mafia is pushing for greater independence for NPs which is resulting in clinics such as you describe. The PA profession, however, is predicated on physician primacy.