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Press Release

Posted about 3 years ago

PRESS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Nurse Practitioners fight for healthcare access in the Senate

Utah lags behind 14 neighboring states in removing barriers to practice for increased patient access and choice of provider

Salt Lake City - February 23, 2021

Despite the 5-8 years of clinical education and an average of 20,000+ clinical work hours nurse practitioners (NPs) start their Master’s or Doctorate degree with, NPs in Utah continue to have restrictions that hinder patients from receiving healthcare. NPs give care with outcomes similar to physicians and are highly trained independent healthcare providers. The 2021 Legislative Session is an opportunity for NPs to finally remove the final barrier that restricts their practice that prevent certain NPs from owning their own practices. HB 287 removes that barrier for benefits to patients. Utah lags behind her 14 neighboring states in this issue, further exacerbating the need for healthcare providers locally and during the pandemic. 

Speaking to Utah’s current issues in healthcare, Julie Balk, DNP and Legislative Co-Chair, says, “NPs have worked for this legislative change for over 15 years based on overwhelming data that shows safety in practice and prescribing. Each time we get close to full removal of the red-tape, the Utah Medical Association stepped in to unnecessarily catalyze a compromise.” Melissa Hinton, DNP and President of the Utah Nurse Practitioner (UNP) Association, further states,” A physician signature has been required for practice but is only in place in the event an NP has a question about a schedule II medication. It doesn’t do anything else. It does not provide practice oversight, guidance, or chart review… it just allows us to consult for a question. We ask questions and coordinate care all day with our colleagues. Having a signed document to do this is irrelevant and costly.” 

Among the primary issues in Utah’s healthcare are lack of healthcare providers, cost of care, timely access, and mental health access. NPs are nationally board certified, have lower malpractice rates than physicians, and have established exceptional patient satisfaction. In addition, NPs possess unrestricted DEA/federal authority to prescribe scheduled medications, the same authority, licensing requirements, and continuing education that is required of physicians. Studies show that removing the signature law will:

  • Reduce healthcare costs, even for the uninsured
  • Provide better access to healthcare with timely appointments
  • Allow for early mental health and opiate assessment/intervention
  • Aligns Utah with our 14 neighboring states which encourages NP recruitment and retention in Utah in the pandemic and beyond
  • Decrease non-emergent ER visits and hospitalization/readmissions
  • Reduce healthcare disparities 

The pandemic has magnified Utah’s healthcare disparities and access to care issues. UNP is hopeful that legislators will finally remove NP business barriers, offering patient choice of provider and an overall boost to Utah’s healthcare systems. Utah NPs are ready and prepared to bridge the gaps. 

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The Utah Nurse Practitioner Association is a non-profit organization established in 2002 to promote education, communication, legislation, scholarship, research, and clinical excellence for nurse practitioners. UNP represents the interests of NPs as providers of high-quality, cost-effective, comprehensive, patient-centered health care. NPs have been providing healthcare services in the United States for over five decades. UNP encourages patient education, choice, and healthcare access. Find us at unp.org.

Contact: Melissa J. Hinton, President, Utah Nurse Practitioners, (435)680-7063 president@unp.org