Physician task force confronts scope-of-practice legislation

A new coalition within organized medicine cites patient safety as the reason for coming together.

By Myrle Croasdale, amednews Staff. Feb. 13, 2006.

With 31 states and the District of Columbia expected to face legislation that asks to alter or expand the scope of more than 20 allied health professions this year, organized medicine says it's time to join forces to oppose any changes that jeopardize the health and safety of the public.

With the American Medical Association's support, a steering committee of six state medical societies and six national medical specialty groups has been looking for solutions over the past year. In January they released their answer -- the Scope of Practice Partnership, a coalition of physician organizations that will bring their collective experience and resources to the fray to replace what often has been a fragmented approach to scope-of-practice battles. The effort is particularly important, committee members say, because all of medicine suffers, not just a single state or medical specialty, when the practice of medicine is put into hands without the training to practice it.

"The driving need for such a group is to ensure quality care for patients," said AMA Executive Vice President and CEO Michael D. Maves, MD, MBA, a participant in the steering committee that gave rise to the Scope of Practice Partnership. "While nonphysician providers have been, and will continue to be, important elements in the provision of health care, it is important that our patients know and receive the care that only physicians are uniquely qualified to provide."

Once the steering committee formalizes its membership, it intends to move on its agenda.

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