04/29/2016
APRNs Agree to Scope of Practice Bill Changes
Ohio ACEP and medical societies continue to push for sensible changes to legislation
Thanks to constructive negotiations between legislators, advanced practice nurse practitioners (APRN), and a number of medical societies—including Ohio ACEP—House Bill 216 will be redrafted with significant improvements over the original version.
The initial legislation, introduced by Rep. Dorothy Pelanda (R – Marysville), was strongly opposed by Ohio ACEP and other medical societies. The bill would have allowed advanced practice nurse practitioners (APRNs) to practice medicine independently without a standard care agreement with a collaborating physician. The bill would have also eliminated the APRN drug formulary, allowing APRNs to prescribe any drug—even dangerous and addictive drugs, including opioids.
The redrafted bill is expected to incorporate revisions including:
- Retaining the current requirement that APRNs collaborate with a physician and have a standard care arrangement in all practice settings;
- Increasing the number of APRNs a physician may collaborate with from three to five;
- Maintaining current law relating to signing death certificates and pronouncing death; and
- Creating an exclusionary formulary for prescribing drugs, as opposed to the current inclusionary formula
Ohio ACEP has joined forces with a number of other medical organizations, including the Ohio State Medical Association, to oppose the independent practice of medicine by non-physicians and preserve physician-led, team-based care.
The redrafted legislation is a significant step in the right direction and we thank the bill’s sponsors and APRNs for working with us to address physicians’ concerns.
Stay tuned for updates on HB 216 and its Senate companion bill, Senate Bill 279, which is currently being considered by the Senate Medicaid Committee.