At The Podium
Physician Extender: Practice optimizer, risk enhancers, or both?
A projected shortage in U.S. physicians, combined with an increasing demand for primary care, has resulted in physician extenders playing an increasingly more important role in the healthcare industry nationwide. In Oklahoma, these roles are carried out by physician assistants (PA) and advanced practice registered nurses (APRN), the latter of which includes certified nurse practitioners (CNP), clinical nurse specialists (CNS), certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA), and certified nurse-midwives (CNM).
In his presentation at McAfee & Taft’s 2018 “Healthcare Headlines: News you can use” seminar, attorneys Craig Buchan reviews the differences between physician assistants and advance practice registered nurses as it pertains to licensing, supervision, scope of practice, and prescriptive authority in Oklahoma. He also reviews the benefits and potential liability issues associated with employing physician extenders and discusses best practices for hiring, supervising and utilizing such professionals.
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
Oklahoma City, OK
