NJ Scope of Practice Requirements are Under Attack by APNs

APNs have been conducting an all-out assault on physician-led care in NJ since the Executive Order was enacted in April 2020 suspending physician supervision and joint protocol requirements for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.

APNs are attempting to utilize this emergency as proof of successful independent practice, despite the lack of evidence that hospitals utilized the EO to allow APNs to practice independently at all during the pandemic. Additionally, they've been making unsubstantiated claims that joint protocol agreements and physician supervision is a barrier to care and that removing the statutory requirements could provide an economic benefit to the State and healthcare systems. In reality, eliminating the physician anesthesiologists from the care team can actually increase costs because studies find that CRNAs practicing independently result in increased surgery costs, increased patient spending, and increased patient hospitalizations. Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial insurance carriers reimburse anesthesia on consumption, not based on provider. Therefore, removing the physician anesthesiologists doesn't save the patient money or increase access to care, but it can increase their risk of deadly consequences.
NJSSA has been fighting back against scope expansion legislation and is currently hard at work launching a public affairs campaign to educate lawmakers on the risks of independent practice, specifically in anesthesia care.

Recently, legislation was introduced that would allow APNs with under 2400 hours or 24 months of experience to collaborate with an experienced APNS, while allowing APNs with the required experience levels to practice independently without supervision or joint protocol agreements. The legislation would also create a new licensure of an APN called an "APN-Anesthesia", which is another attempt to confuse patients on the education and training of the individual providing their care.

Your jobs as physician anesthesiologists are threatened and we urgently need your help in our efforts to raise awareness on the importance of the physician-led approach to health care. We are at the beginning of a long battle and you can help by making a contribution today to the NJAPAC.
HOW HAS NJSSA BEEN ADVOCATING FOR YOU?

  • A statewide public affairs campaign with the Access to Care Coalition to educate lawmakers and the public on the importance of physicians leading a collaborative healthcare team. The Coalition is a group of physician specialties that represents over 30,000 members in NJ and is a unified voice elevating the concerns of physicians in NJ.


  • In coordination with the broader campaign, the NJSSA is conducting an anesthesia-specific public affairs campaign to combat recent efforts for APN independent practice in NJ.


  • NJSSA is conducting public opinion polling to determine how the public in NJ views efforts to remove the doctor from the care team.



WHAT DOES A CONTRIBUTION TO NJAPAC DO TO HELP NJSSA'S EFFORTS?

  • Supporting candidates for the NJ Legislature that understand the importance of physician-led healthcare and those who will be critical allies in protecting safe anesthesia-care.


  • Continuing to support our longtime allies in the Legislature who understand our issues and preserve policies vital to delivering the highest quality care for patients.


  • NJAPAC bridges the gap between the NJ House of Medicine and the halls of the Statehouse by bringing together both communities and enabling critical discussions on the real-time impact of legislation on our healthcare system.
Thank You to Our 2022 Contributors!
Alex Bekker, MD

Amanda Burden, MD

Amanda Lukof, MD

Anilchandra Bhagat, MD

Christina Chin, MD

Cristina Pamaar, MD

Gregg Lobel, MD

John Azzariti, MD

Lisa Finn, MD

Maggie May Ho, MD

Margit Kaufman, MD

Maria Shindler, MD

Mark Nemiroff, MD

Mark Schlesinger, MD

Michael Entrup, MD

Michael Flashburg, MD

Mordechai Bermann, MD

Olawale Fadugba, MD

Patricia Browne, MD

Peter Goldzweig, MD

Raymond Malapero, MD

Richard D. Colavita, MD

Richard Iannacone, MD

Richard Stillman, MD

Sy-Yeu Chern, MD

Walter Lapicki, D.O.
Become an NJAPAC Monthly Contributor!
Becoming a monthly supporter of NJAPAC is a simple step that can have a lasting impact on the protection of your patients and your specialty. Your continued support is an investment in the future of safe anesthesia care in New Jersey.