The American College of Radiology issued a call to action Thursday, urging members of the specialty to help stop two “dangerous” scope-of-practice bills.
Lawmakers in Wisconsin’s House and Senate recently passed the “APRN Modernization Act,” sending the bill to Gov. Tony Evers for his final signature. Senate Bill 394 would “greatly expand” advanced practice registered nurses’ authority, allowing some to operate autonomously, ACR reported.
The Wisconsin Nurses Association has fought for the bill, arguing it will provide healthcare consumers with “quality, economical, safe and patient-focused care.” But ACR and other doc groups are asking physicians to speak up against it.
“If you are a member of the American College of Radiology practicing in Wisconsin, contact Governor Evers today and ask him to veto SB 394,” ACR wrote March 17.
Meanwhile, Kentucky is advancing its own proposal to expand scope for advanced practice registered nurses. House Bill 354 would, among other things, eliminate the one-year practice requirement before an APRN could prescribe controlled substances under a collaborative agreement with a physician. ACR said the Kentucky Radiological Society also opposes the bill—which already advanced in the House—and urged docs to contact lawmakers to prevent passage in the Senate.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.