[NPInfo] Answer to Wall Street Journal

[Sue Wiers]

Excellent letter Dave.  

> From: dmittman at comcast.net> Date: Wed, 26 Mar 2008 12:11:42 -0400> To: ACC-Circle at listserve.com; NPinfo at nurse.net; PAForum at mc.duke.edu> Subject: [NPInfo] Answer to Wall Street Journal> > Sent to Dr. Brewer and Letters to the Editor and posted as a comment.> > Dear Dr. Brewer:> I read your article on the future of primary care in today's Wall > Street Journal with interest.> As a physician assistant (PA) with 33 years experience, I take > umbrage with a number of comments you made. Please let me explain.> You assertion that the primary care provided by NPs and PAs is > inferior to that of any other group of professionals who provide > primary care is biased, unfair and unable to be substantiated. Can > you show one study to back your opinion up? Do you have any idea how > much professional opinions based on anecdotal information hurt > people? To say that "you get what you pay for"regarding PA and NP > care smacks of the type of words used in turf battles without much > thought being given to the harm your statement can produce. The same > was said by the internal medicine physicians about the first family > physicians and your first residencies. Their graduates were also > looked at with less than the proper respect and understanding they > deserved. I am amazed you would do the same to others.> I think few would argue that a cardiologist is both trained better > and more broadly to treat cardiac problems than a family doctor. So > using your logic, in the case of treating hypertension or CHF, family > doctors also provide inferior treatment. Clearly the poor patient who > gets their CHF treated by a family physician rather than a > cardiologist would also" get what they pay for". That thinking is > absurd. To think that I would treat bronchitis, or otitis, or tinea, > or hypertension or most other problems differently than all others > who encounter them, is the same as thinking that you are not equipped > to treat hypertension. Of course you are, of course we are.> > Dr. Brewer there are close to 200,000 PAs and NPs in practice across > America, and the care we provide is excellent. Many work with your FP > colleagues whom I would guess are also allowing their patients to > receive inferior care. Much of the primary care delivered to our > servicemen and their dependents is provided by NPs and PAs, as is > much care in the much improved VA system. I suppose all of these > people receive poor care also. Even the President and Vice-President > have a PA treating them. The US Army's Flight Surgeon of the Year in > 2007 was a PA!> We deserve a place in any system designed to bring more healthcare to > the people of our country.> > As another professional, I would respectfully ask that you do two > things; one realize your comments can malign and hurt other > professionals who are out there working hard to provide care to many > who need it across our great country and secondly, as a man of > science, be able to back up your assertions with at least one or two > scientific studies.> > Yours for a healthier America> Dave Mittman, PA> Secretary,> American College of Clinicians> Natick, MA> > _______________________________________________> NPInfo mailing list> NPInfo at nurse.net> http://lists.nurse.net/mailman/listinfo/npinfo> *****************************
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