Measure could help ease shortage of primary care doctors, limit impact of federal healthcare reform.
S-2354 is a bill that is currently working its way through the New Jersey state legislature that would allow Nurse Practitioners to prescribe medicine on their own without the joint protocol from a physician. Because of this, the bill makes it easier for NPs to establish their own private practice.
As of recent NPs have taken a much larger role in primary care and are assumed to have their role grown as a result of the Affordable Care Act. This is because more people are now available with medical coverage through Medicaid and at the same time a high volume of doctors do not see patients on Medicaid.
The objection holding back this bill is that physicians believe that NPs establishing their own health care practices will affect the quality of patient care even though NPs have the proper training and school to give proper healthcare.
Historically NPs are more conservative towards writing prescriptions. As such they help to lower malpractice rates. Studies have been conducted through New Jersey that state that the level of care that NPs provide is equal if not better than the care given by physicians across the state. In addition, the cost of providing care is 20 to 35 percent cheaper than a physician.
As the bill currently stands NPs with less than 24 months or 2,400 hours of practice will still need to have joint protocol with a physician.
The bill is not a perfect solution for the NP and physician paradigm but it is on the right track for giving NPs equal privilege to physicians in New Jersey.
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Written by Brandon Kassof
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