[NPInfo] NP NEWS-KAISER AGAIN.....

[Carla Anderson]

This is horrible. The Nurse Practitioners were not asked, and it completely changes the scope of practice in which they were working, as well as disrupting patients who found a provider they had a relationship with. It seems as if in the Kaiser system the NPs do not have any political power, and this sounds like it was a political move. I hope in that local area, petitions are started, and there is a movement for change. Carla/Oregon

David Mittman <dmittman at comcast.net> wrote:  I can¹t believe that someone actually said it was about quality and no one
from the NP orgs challenged that!
I will send a letter from the ACC but Calif NPs should challenge that
statement do.
So now we have Hawaii, Wash. DC and parts of Calif firing NPs or
re-assigning them out of primary care.
Interesting and I am sure to be continued. What happened to our friends at
Kaiser?
Are PAs also being re-assigned???
Dave


Kaiser reassigns 16 nurse practitioners
Decision means 19,000 patients in Contra Costa County must select a new
primary care provider
By Sandy Kleffman
STAFF WRITER
Article Launched: 10/17/2007 03:04:17 AM PDT
In a move that has upset some patients, Kaiser Permanente has decided to no
longer have nurse practitioners serve as adult primary care providers in
much of Contra Costa County.
The 16 nurse practitioners will be reassigned to specialty departments.
Their nearly 19,000 patients have been informed they should select a new
primary care provider from a list of doctors posted on Kaiser's Web site.
A nurse practitioner is a registered nurse who has completed advanced
education and training.
They can diagnose and treat medical conditions, write prescriptions and
order lab and medical imaging tests, but only under the supervision of a
physician.
"The driving force (behind the change) was to provide the highest level of
care possible, both in the primary and specialty areas," said Kaiser
spokeswoman Alix Sabin. "This wasn't something that was done quickly."
Kaiser spent five months negotiating with the California Nurses Association.
A union representative said Kaiser gave her another reason for the move.
"Initially, they told us they had overhired doctors in medicine and
miscalculated their membership growth," said Karen Elwood, who represented
nurse practitioners in the negotiations. Moving nurse practitioners to other
departments will increase the patient load for doctors.
Sabin disputed the union version of events. "It's really about the highest
quality of care and the best model for delivering that care," she said.
Some patients who have grown
fond of their nurse practitioner lamented the change.
"We are very upset because we liked her care," said retired teacher Shirley
Parent, 76, of Clayton. "We'd like to keep the person we're comfortable
with. Don't get rid of a good thing."
"This just came out of the blue," added her husband, Chuck, 77, also a
retired teacher. "We couldn't be any more satisfied with a doctor or anyone
else."
The change affects only the Walnut Creek, Martinez, Pleasanton and Antioch
areas. It does not apply to nurse practitioners elsewhere in the Kaiser
system.
The affected nurse practitioners will move to specialty departments within
Kaiser to treat such things as headaches, complex wounds and breast lumps.
"This will allow these excellent caregivers to enhance our comprehensive,
specialized care of patients, as well as have an opportunity to expand their
professional horizons," Kaiser said in a statement.
Elwood said many of the nurse practitioners view the change differently.
"These are highly educated nurse practitioners who have a very large scope
of practice," she said. "The problem is they're going to be moving into
specialized care, so it will narrow their scope.
"This is not their choice," she added. "This is being forced upon them. So
they are very much not happy about it."
Elwood said the move will occur Nov. 1.
Kaiser has enough physicians in the area to absorb the nurse practitioners'
patients, Sabin said.
She encouraged people to select their doctor by going to Kaiser's Web site
at http://www.permanente.net.
There Kaiser members will find photos and biographical information for each
physician, including where they received their training and what they like
to do when they are not working.
The Web site also reveals which doctors are fluent in languages other than
English and contains notes about how doctors like to handle their patient
visits.
"What's most important is for a person to find a physician with whom they
can be compatible," Sabin said.
Walnut Creek resident Phyllis Nelson said she worries whether a doctor will
give her the same time and focused attention as her nurse practitioner.
"I'm disappointed to lose that option," she said. "I think they took a
little more time to listen. In general, it just seems that doctors are more
rushed."
Nelson said she liked how easily she could get in to see her nurse
practitioner.
"I've felt that whenever I have to see a doctor, you have to wait longer."
Reach Sandy Kleffman at 925-943-8249 or skleffman at bayareanewsgroup.com.


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Carla R. Anderson, FNP-C
  Healing Presence Family Practice, PC  
  carla_rayne at yahoo.com
  503 819 9726