Saturday, June 15, 2013

Oregon Working Toward Equal Pay For Equal Work

Oregon will become the first state to require insurance companies to pay at the same reimbursement rate once it gets signed into action. The biggest amount of complaint will of course be from doctors who are going to be unhappy about the situation.

The issue is that we are doing the same exact visit with the same exact treatment plan. So why wouldn't we be eligible for the same pay? Well. Doctors say its because they have more education and training and that if we wanted to practice medicine that we should have gone to medical school. 

My mindset is why does medical school have to be so long if NPs and PAs can do the same with less training? I think that the college system is antiquated and needs to be changed in order to help bring more family doctors out into practice. I think that NP practice has evolved out of sheer necessity and things aren't going back to the good old days. 

Collaboration is still the name of the game but the actual collaborative agreement is fast becoming a thing of the past as each state passes independent practice in more and more states. 

Doctors are screaming that we are going to hurt patients and that "you don't know what you don't know". That goes for doctors too. Brand new MDs can be just as much a risk if they don't understand their limitations as well. I am sure that there are some that will cross the line and make mistakes. That's what the legal system is for. As more cases come up, the malpractice rates will also. 

NPs have less lawsuit activity. Why? Is it because we make less mistakes? Probably not, but patients have the perception that we care more and we are more human so we are more  easily forgiven. Studies have shown that if you acknowledge your mistakes to patients that they will less likely sue a provider. 

I am watching the issues closely as will. are thousands of others. What say you?

2 comments:

  1. nursegirl011:01 AM

    Many years ago when I was a young(er) kiddo, I recall feeling and believing in my heart that doctors were way overeducated. Hell, who has the time??? Enter the NP and the PA....let me share something with you, over 100 years ago God spoke with his end-time representative-Ellen G. White and He told her that other healthcare professionals would be employed in the healthcare profession, would be every bit as competent, with a lot less schooling !!!!! God is NEVER WRONG !!!!! He is the reason that NPs and PAs are doing such an incredible job !!!!!!

    RD Strack, RN, MHA (masters of art in psychology-mental health administration).

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  2. I get better care from a NP and PA that I have seen here in California. They are way more concerned and give better personal care from what I have dealt with.

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