As we peruse the patient care challenges in Ohio and the nation, we notice 400,000 to 500,000 Ohioans without a primary care physician. In Greene county, where I practice, 51/2 FTE family physicians have left private practice in the last 17 months. That leaves roughly 10,000 patients without a family physician. Those persons may now be using urgent care centers and emergency rooms for their health care. After a while, that becomes too costly and fragmented to be realistic.
The use of physician extenders in primary care has grown in recent years, including physician assistants and nurse practitioners. Ohio was the 49th or 50th state to pass legislation supporting nurse practitioners. As President of the Ohio Academy of Family Physicians, I testified for the legislation in the mid 1990's that enabled nurse practitioners to be licensed in Ohio. Now we have to get the family nurse practitioners to the front lines of patient care in primary care settings. They are a valuable asset with clinical and interpersonal skills that are much needed. The majority of the Dr Synonymous Show on 9/28/2010 will be dedicated to interviewing Catherine Johnson, RN, FNP, PhD a family nurse practitioner who has practiced and educated nurses and nurse practitioner in three states.
The use of physician extenders in primary care has grown in recent years, including physician assistants and nurse practitioners. Ohio was the 49th or 50th state to pass legislation supporting nurse practitioners. As President of the Ohio Academy of Family Physicians, I testified for the legislation in the mid 1990's that enabled nurse practitioners to be licensed in Ohio. Now we have to get the family nurse practitioners to the front lines of patient care in primary care settings. They are a valuable asset with clinical and interpersonal skills that are much needed. The majority of the Dr Synonymous Show on 9/28/2010 will be dedicated to interviewing Catherine Johnson, RN, FNP, PhD a family nurse practitioner who has practiced and educated nurses and nurse practitioner in three states.
Physicians and patients need to better understand how they may relate to FNP's in primary care. As a member of a family medicine team, nurse practitioners have shown high levels of team and leadership skills. We need them to help shore up a besieged and frustrated family physician community.
Tune in to Blogtalkradio.com/drsynonymous for the live interview Tuesday 9/28/2010 at 8 PM ET or the same site 24/7 to listen to the podcast.
Dr Synonymous Show September 28, 2010
Introduction and Welcome. Special greetings to those listening from Denver at the AAFP Congress
Best wishes to Ken Bertka, MD for a successful candidacy for President-Elect of the AAFP. Go Ken!
Disclaimer: We're not practicing medicine on the show. See your own family physician for your best care.
Show Overview
Happy Birthday to anyone born on this day (including Mrs Synonymous)
Hi to those in chat room
Salute to patients
Patient Blog: Living It, Loving It at blogspot.com with music
Medical Blog: Pallimed hosting Grand Rounds Vol 6.52 9/21/2010
Medical Factoids
Introductory Comments about nurse practitioners- my support of legislation in Ohio
Introduction Dr Catherine Johnson, RN, Family Nurse Practitioner, PhD
Questions for Dr Johnson
So you’re back in Central Ohio, what are you doing professionally now?
What kind of educational experiences have prepared you for this?
You were a VP for Nursing of Columbus Children’s Hospital for six or seven years, what was that like?
Why did you leave that position?
What was next?
How did you come to join the faculty at WSU? What programs and projects were you involved in when in the Dayton area?
How did your family life relate to leaving WSU and the Dayton area?
How many children and grandchildren are you blessed with now?
What’s it like caring for twins?
Any questions from the chat room for Dr Johnson?
Let’s hear about the University of Arizona. When did you go west and what did you do?
OK, there is a New Mexico component, too. What did you do in NM?
Ohioans have heard a lot about border tensions in AZ and NM, what did you notice when you lived there?
Would you comment on your passion for migrant health care.
What about the doctoral degree for all nurse practitioners: Can you explain that for our listeners? I’m an enthusiastic supporter of nurse practitioners, but I’m worried that the doctoral degree might dilute the clinical capacity of FNP’s because of administrative opportunities.
What kinds of scholarly work have you completed in academic settings?
What do you think is going to happen to patients and their primary care in the next few years?
You have seen and done a lot, what’s your dream for the next phase of your career?
What is going to happen to primary care patients? And primary care nurse practitioners?
Any other comments that you have for our listeners?
Thanks again for sharing with the Dr Synonymous Show, Dr. Johnson / Catherine. We will continue to work together.
Next week, I’ll expound on more aspects of the Human Centered Health Home and life in family medicine.
This is Dr Synonymous, Good Night!
Tune in to blogtalkradio.com/drsynonymous to hear the entire show with the interview.
Tune in to blogtalkradio.com/drsynonymous to hear the entire show with the interview.
Nice post.
ReplyDeletePrimary care that focuses on the optimum level of health and wellness is the primary need of an individual. Attaining the highest level of health is truly difficult to achieve. But if there are physicians that are truly committed in providing the highest level and comprehensive approach to care then worry no more. Good to know that they are there, not just to treat us, but to provide the optimum health and wellness that we need.
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