Health care is about fixing a problem. Patients expect the most qualified person – physician experts with the training and education – to handle any unexpected situation.
Patients expect physicians to be involved in their health care.
A recent national survey performed by the American Medical Association found the following views from patients about scope of practice:
- 95% of U.S. voters say it is important for a physician to be involved in their diagnosis and treatment.
- Only 3% of U.S. voters said it was not important to have a physician involved in treatments such as anesthesia in surgery and other procedures. This is precisely what the SAVE Act would do – eliminate physician involvement.
- In a North Carolina poll, 90% of North Carolinians want a physician to respond to a medical complication or anesthesia emergency during surgery.
If patients support physician involvement in their care, why do we need to change the current law? We don’t. Physician involvement has served our state well and has kept North Carolina patients safe for decades. Physicians bring the highest level of training and preparation and are best suited to lead other members of the patient care team. Nurse practitioners are important, but they cannot replace a trained physician.
The NC Patient Safety Coalition is an alliance of medical professionals that advocate for physician-led health care that protects patient safety. Learn more on our website at www.ncpatientsafety.com, and follow us on X @NCPatientSafety and Facebook www.facebook.com/NCPatientSafety.