Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 16

OPINION

Is Collaboration Necessary
or Even Helpful
by Joseph Answine, MD

A

s a bill granting independent practice floats
through the Pennsylvania Legislature just a few
votes from being sent to the Governor, we
should consider the benefits and drawbacks
of a collaborative agreement between nurse practitioners
and physicians. Only a few years ago, as part of Governor
Rendell's Prescription for Pennsylvania, the current
Pennsylvania collaborative agreement requirement was
instituted which is a very "loose" contract without
geographic parameters; the physician does not have to
be onsite; the meeting and chart review requirements
are vaguely described as on "a regularly scheduled basis"
without a strict definition; and there is no maximum
number of nurse practitioners a physician may collaborate
with. The Pennsylvania Medical Society at the time was
disappointed to say the least with the "watered down"

14 DELAWARE COUNTY MEDICINE & HEALTH

winter 2017

version of collaboration that was implemented. Yet, it is
argued today by the nurse practitioners in the state that
it is unnecessary based on studies demonstrating equality
of care between them and their physician counterparts.
It is reasonable to start with a breakdown of the education
differences between a primary care physician and nurse
practitioner. Classically, a physician obtains a four-year
undergraduate degree filled with mandatory education
requirements, especially in the sciences. Then, there is a fouryear medical education filled with didactic and clinical work.
Lastly, the usual primary care residency requirement is no less
than three years of clinical care and research. Eleven years
of training, therefore, is typical. A nurse practitioner most
commonly has a four-year nursing education concentrating on
the sciences and clinical care. Then, there is a requirement for



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017

Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 1
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 2
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 3
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 4
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 5
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 6
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 7
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 8
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 9
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 10
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 11
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 12
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 13
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 14
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 15
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 16
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 17
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 18
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 19
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 20
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 21
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 22
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 23
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 24
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 25
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 26
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 27
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 28
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 29
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 30
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 31
Delaware County Medical Society Winter 2017 - 32
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/delcomed/DelawareMedicalSocietySummerFall2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/delcomed/DelawareMedicalSocietySpring2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/delcomed/DelawareMedicalSocietyFall2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/delcomed/LivingwithLossfromAddiction
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/delcomed/DelcoMedicalSocietySummer2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/delcomed/DelawareCountyMedicalSocietySpring2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/delcomed/DelawareCountyMedicalSocietyWinter2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/delcomed/DelawareCountyMedicalSocietyFall2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/delcomed/DelawareCountyMedicalSocietySummer2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/delcomed/DelcoMedicalSocietySpring2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/delcomed/DelcoMedicalSociety
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/delcomed/DelawareCountyMedicalSocietyWinter2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/delcomed/DelawareCountyMedicalSocietyFall2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/delcomed/DelawareCountyMedicalSocietySpring2017A
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/delcomed/DelawareCountyMedicalSociety
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com