If you’ve listened, read, or watched anything on the topic of Health Care Reform in America, you’ll notice that physicians and doctors are pretty much the only providers of health care getting the attention. They are taking the lead in formulating plans and working to advise the president that they, alone, are the stars in this important discussion.
People who value the care provided by Nurse Practitioners need to SPEAK UP. Let your legislators know that your NP must be a vital part of the future of health care. Here’s a sample letter (that I sent to Senator Cantwell). Feel free to copy it and personalize it to let your senators, state representatives, and EVERYONE ELSE know that NP’s provide quality, cost effective health care.
Dear Senator Cantwell, I am a pediatric nurse practitioner with a private practice in Lakewood, WA. In several states, including Washington state, nurse practitioners are qualified and allowed by law to provide primary care services for their patients independently. We do not require a medical doctor on staff to provide this care.
I am concerned that Mr.. Obama may not be aware of this fact. Repeatedly, he assures Americans that health care reform will allow people to choose their own "doctor." In order to ensure that Americans can also choose their own nurse practitioner, or keep the one they already have chosen, the language of health care reform needs to change.
Nurse practitioners have often been scorned by the powerful American Medical Association. Their ongoing agenda to limit the ability of NP's to continue to provide independent health care jeopardizes affordable and rational health care reform and limits the ability of many patients to access health care at all.
Please don't allow the language of health care reform to limit access to qualified health care providers by referencing doctors/physicians as the primary keepers of the "medical home."
You may contact me any time to discuss this. I also welcome you to my pediatric clinic, Fir Creek Pediatrics. You will find a great deal of support for broadening the language of health care reform to include all providers of primary care.
Sincerely,
Michelle Hayes, MN, ARNP
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