Improve care access, voters must be engaged

State Reps. Sylleste Davis and Heath Sessions rightly highlighted a problem in their recent commentary that unites policymakers, providers and patients alike: Too many South Carolinians — especially in rural communities — struggle to access timely health care. But expanding access and protecting quality do not have to be competing goals.

Nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, certified registered nurse anesthetists and physician assistants are essential to meeting today’s health care needs. These advanced practice professionals provide much of the front-line care across South Carolina, particularly in communities where physician shortages are long-standing.

Decades of evidence from states that allow full practice authority demonstrate no decline in quality, safety or outcomes when these providers practice independently. What does change is access, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

Allowing advanced practice clinicians to work independently is not a departure from coordinated care, nor does it prohibit teamwork. It simply removes legal barriers that can delay care, increase costs or force clinics to close.

Everyone agrees that rural patients deserve the same standard of care as those in urban centers, and smart policies will help deliver that care. Enabling these clinicians to practice to the full extent of their education and training does not lower the bar for patient care.

Freedom from barriers to practice does not mean a lower standard; it means a broader workforce empowered to deliver evidence-based, high-quality care. South Carolinians shouldn't have to choose between access and quality.

See the full article here.

ANGELA MUND

President, S.C. Association of Nurse Anesthesiology