NORTH TEXAS (WBAP/KLIF News ) – There’s a doctor shortage in Texas and healthcare advocates are encouraging the state to roll back scope-of-practice laws for nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants.
Sally Pipes in the president, CEO and healthcare fellow at the Pacific Research Institute and said allowing NPs and PAs to treat some patients without doctor supervision could help fill the gaps.
“It can take the pressure of docs, many of whom are burned on anyway, and this would give them more time to actually treat patients who have more complicated issues,” she said.
Advocates argue the laws put an unnecessary strain on health care, forcing patients to experience longer wait times for care and to pay higher prices.
Pipes said those issues could be alleviated by allowing NPs and PAs to work to the full extent of their training on some patient cases.
“We’ve seen NP who treat patients…there are lower rates of hospital admissions…readmissions and it cuts down on the use of emergency room care which is of course very expensive,” she said.
The American Medical Association, the largest doctor lobbying group in the nation, argues that rolling back scope-of-practice laws puts patients at risk.
Pipes argues the research shows otherwise.
“There’s a lot of studies out there now that show NPs and PAs are providing good care, timely care…outcomes are good,” she said,
According to the institute, 249 out of 254 Texas counties are experiencing doctor shortages.
The Association of American Medical Colleges reports the United States is facing a shortfall of up to 48,000 primary care physicians by 2034, especially in rural and historically marginalized urban areas.
26 states have rolled back scope-of-practice laws for NPs and PAs.
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