As our listeners already know by now, to be licensed to practice medicine, physicians in most states must complete a minimum of three years of postgraduate medical education, called residency training. Each specialty offers its own residency program, but all must follow specific, standardized criteria created by the ACGME—the American College of Graduate Medical Education. If programs fail to meet these criteria, they will not be credentialed by the ACGME, and graduates will not be licensed to p...
Feb 28, 2022•35 min•Season 1Ep. 57
Almost every field of medicine today involves some type of nonphysician practitioner, whose role was originally created to help physicians see patients more efficiently. The specialty of radiology is no exception, and radiologists often work with NPs, PAs, and another type of extender called a radiology assistant (RA). In part 2, I am joined by two radiologists to discuss the use of nonphysicians in radiology and concerns that an increased push for these extenders may negatively impact patient c...
Feb 14, 2022•34 min•Season 1Ep. 57
Almost every field of medicine today involves some type of nonphysician practitioner, whose role was originally created to help physicians see patients more efficiently. The specialty of radiology is no exception, and radiologists often work with NPs, PAs, and another type of extender called a radiology assistant (RA). Today I am joined by two radiologists to discuss the use of nonphysicians in radiology and concerns that an increased push for these extenders may negatively impact patient care. ...
Jan 28, 2022•34 min•Season 1Ep. 56
A few months ago, EM:RAP, a well-known and respected EM CME provider hosted a discussion about nonphysician practitioners in the emergency room. Many physicians who listened felt was one-sided and glossed over concerns about independent practice by NPs and PAs. Dr. Steve Carroll, an EM physician and the host of the podcast EM Basics, was so concerned that he reached out to the program to ask for a more even discussion. To their credit, the program allowed him come on to discuss some of the nuanc...
Jan 17, 2022•39 min•Season 1Ep. 55
In part 2 of our discussion, Dr. Alyson Maloy and Dr. Phil Shaffer break down the mistruths in AANP president April Kapu's article, 'Full practice authority for nurse practitioners needed to address physician shortage.' Get the book, now available on Audible! https://www.amazon.com/Patients-Risk-Practitioner-Physician-Healthcare/dp/1627343164/ Watch the video on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/EDXn7RAomTM Article links: Original article - https://www.medicaleconomics.com/vie...
Jan 03, 2022•32 min•Season 1Ep. 54
On September 29, 2021, the journal Medical Economics published an interview with Dr. Alyson Maloy entitled “Covid exacerbates physician shortage.” In the article, Dr. Maloy discussed the effects of covid19 including a push to increase practice authority for nurse practitioners. A week later, Medical Economics posted a rebuttal written by April Kapu, the president of the AANP, called “Full practice authority for nurse practitioners needed to address physician shortage,” arguing that NPs were read...
Dec 20, 2021•23 min•Season 1Ep. 53
In part 2 of this discussion with plaintiff's attorney Travis Dunn, we analyze the tragic case of Alexus Ochoa, who died because a multi-billion dollar corporation elected to replace physician with unprepared NPs. Mr. Dunn discusses the role of the expert witness in NP malpractice cases and what he has learned about the limited scope of practice of nurse practitioners. Get the book! https://www.amazon.com/Patients-Risk-Practitioner-Physician-Healthcare/dp/1627343164/ Please like and subscri...
Dec 05, 2021•23 min•Season 1Ep. 53
In the book Patients at Risk, we discuss the tragic case of Alexus Ochoa, a 19-year-old woman who died when a nurse practitioner failed to diagnose the blood clot in her lungs. The nurse practitioner was unprepared to treat emergency room patients and there was no physician on-site, even though the hospital advertised that physicians were available 24/7. Today we are joined with attorney Travis Dunn, one of the lead attorneys who helped Alexus’s family win a major financial settlement against Me...
Nov 13, 2021•34 min•Season 1Ep. 52
There are so many challenges in healthcare today, and it’s becoming ever more difficult to practice medicine. In fact, many physicians that could continue to work well into their golden years are retiring as soon as they can because the struggle of practicing medicine is just no longer worth it to them. Today we are joined by an amazing physician who has experienced his share of heartache within our healthcare system. Dr. Mark Lopatin is a rheumatologist who has written extensively about his exp...
Nov 08, 2021•36 min•Season 1Ep. 51
Today, we discuss a topic that is near and dear to my heart as a family physician: the role of primary care. We’re going to focus especially on the misconception often held by legislators that primary care is somehow ‘easy,’ and can therefore be relegated to allied health professionals, especially nurse practitioners. Today, I am joined by two special guests who are experts in the role of primary care in the healthcare system. Dr. Emily O’Rourke is a Family Physician in Virginia and the owner of...
Oct 17, 2021•33 min•Season 1Ep. 50
In our book, we outline the tragic case of Alexus Ochoa, a 19-year-old woman who died when a nurse practitioner failed to properly diagnose and treat the blood clot in her lungs. The only reason that the details of this case became public was because of a lawsuit filed by the patient’s family. Court records reveal not only a lack of appropriate medical care, but more importantly, the incredible efforts that Mercy Health Systems, a multi-billion-dollar corporation, routinely went through to hire ...
Oct 10, 2021•33 min•Season 1Ep. 49
One of the biggest challenges in healthcare today is a lack of transparency when it comes to the training and licensure of healthcare professionals. As members of the healthcare team have taken an increased role in providing medical care, patients may be treated by physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other healthcare practitioners, and understanding who is who can be difficult. In fact, an AMA study found that only 55% of respondents thought it was easy to identify who is ...
Oct 03, 2021•28 min•Season 1Ep. 48
There is an increasing double standard in the practice of medicine and the practice of advanced nursing, and one of these is the difference in ‘board certification.’ Nurse practitioners take just one board examination in the course of their career, which is 3 hours long and 200 questions. Nurse practitioners never have to take another exam – they just have to submit their work hours, which can even be volunteer hours. In contrast, physician board exams are most more rigorous, lasting 9-10 hours ...
Sep 26, 2021•37 min•Season 1Ep. 47
Seven-year-old Betty died just 15 hours after she was evaluated by a pediatric nurse practitioner in a pediatric urgent care without any physician on site. Betty's father, Jeremy Wattenbarger discusses the efforts he has made to seek accountability and ensure that other children receive physician-led care. Get the book: https://www.amazon.com/Patients-Risk-Practitioner-Physician-Healthcare/dp/1627343164/ PhysiciansForPatientProtection.org
Sep 19, 2021•35 min•Season 1Ep. 46
Many of our critics accuse us of exaggerating the risks that patients face when physicians are replaced by lesser trained members of the healthcare team. We are often told that we are engaging in a ‘turf war’ with nurse practitioners and physician assistants and that we should support these nonphysicians practicing ‘to the full extent of their license and training. ’ Today we are going to explain exactly why we take such a hardline stance against the independent practice by nonphysicians. It’s n...
Sep 12, 2021•28 min•Season 1Ep. 45
In part 2 of our discussion about healthcare politics, Dr. Kermit Jones, a California internal medicine physician, attorney, and military veteran discusses his run for California's 4th Congressional District. Learn more about Dr. Jones at his website - https://kermitjonesmdjd.com/ Donate to Dr. Jones' political campaign here - https://secure.actblue.com/donate/kermitjonesforcongress2 Get the book! https://www.amazon.com/Patients-Risk-Practitioner-Physician-Healthcare/dp/1627343164/ Phy...
Sep 05, 2021•26 min•Season 1Ep. 44
More than ever, healthcare and politics are intertwined. Decisions made by politicians and have a major impact on not only healthcare policy, but on the day-to-day practice of medicine by physicians. Today we are excited to be talking about healthcare politics with Dr. Kermit Jones, a California internal medicine physician, attorney, and military veteran who is working to bring his medical expertise into the political arena. Learn more about Dr. Jones at his website - https://kermitjonesmdjd.com...
Aug 29, 2021•34 min•Season 1Ep. 43
In part 2 of this discussion with Dr. Marion Mass, a pediatrician and the co-founder of Practicing Physicians of America, we learn about the impact of group purchasing organizations (GPOs) on the high cost of healthcare. In 1987, the federal legislature granted GPOs safe harbor from anti-kickback statutes, allowing them to reap millions of dollars. Dr Mass also explains how these GPOs have created artificial shortages in essential medical supplies, leading to patient and clinician harm. Practici...
Aug 22, 2021•35 min•Season 1Ep. 42
We all know that the health care system in the United States is expensive, with the U.S. spending more than any other developed nation. Although it’s convenient to scapegoat doctors as the reason for high medical costs, the truth is that physician compensation makes up just 20% of total health spending. So, who is really responsible for the astronomical cost of health care today? To get some answers, we are joined by Dr. Marion Mass, a pediatrician and the co-founder of Practicing Physicians of ...
Aug 15, 2021•34 min•Season 1Ep. 41
On our last podcast, advocacy experts Dr. Purvi Parikh and Linda Lambert discussed steps that physicians can take to advocate for their patients and for the profession of medicine. In part 2, we learn from the legislative successes of the nursing profession. We discuss how to write a resolution for your medical society to help influence policy, and how advocacy can be a solution to burnout. Get the book: https://www.amazon.com/Patients-Risk-Practitioner-Physician-Healthcare/dp/1627343164/ Physic...
Aug 08, 2021•34 min•Season 1Ep. 40
Physicians are usually so busy taking care of patients that we sometimes ignore the political aspects of healthcare, leaving the decisions to legislators and policymakers, many of whom do not truly understand what it is like to deliver medical trenches in the trenches. Unfortunately, the old adage, “if you’re not at the table, you’re on the table,” is nowhere truer than in the healthcare legislative process. Today, I am joined by two experts to help us understand how physicians can be effectivel...
Aug 01, 2021•36 min•Season 1Ep. 39
When it comes to discussing the differences between physician assistants (PAs) and physicians, there is no one better to address the issues than someone who has trained and worked in both professions. Christin Giordano MD was a PA before deciding to return to medical school to become a physician. She has since completed residency training and a fellowship to become a nephrologist. We are also joined by Elizabeth Ennis, PA-C, a former classmate of Dr. Giordano, who is currently practicing in Cali...
Jul 25, 2021•38 min•Season 1Ep. 38
One of the biggest issues in medicine today is physician burnout, with almost 50% of all physicians reporting making active plans to leave the practice of medicine. We are joined by an expert on the subject of physician wellness, psychiatrist Wendy Dean. Dr. Dean and her co-author have singlehandedly changed the dialogue away from ‘burnout’ and towards the concept of ‘moral injury.’ We asked Dr. Dean for her perspective on the impact of corporatization and the replacement of physicians by nonphy...
Jul 18, 2021•38 min•Season 1Ep. 37
We are joined by Eric Starkman , an investigative journalist who works to shed light on dangerous corporate practices in healthcare. Mr. Starkman is relentless in exposing the work of bad actors in the medical-industrial complex and discusses how the replacement of physicians by nonphysician practitioners is contributing to the decline of the U.S. healthcare system. Read Eric Starkman's article about the book 'Patients at Risk' here. An excerpt: "The deceit are the studies pu...
Jul 12, 2021•31 min•Season 1Ep. 36
About 42% of physicians report feeling burned out, and about half of all doctors are making active plans to leave the practice of medicine. Unfortunately, some doctors turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with the stressors of medicine, which may result in the loss of their professional licenses. Today, we are talking with Dr. Daniel Hochman, a psychiatrist, and an online professional recovery program creator to discuss physician well-being. Get the book! https://www.amazon.com/Patients-Risk-Practi...
Jul 04, 2021•31 min•Season 1Ep. 35
On May 24, 2021, JAMA, or the Journal of the American Medical Association, published a viewpoint entitled: “Advanced Practice Clinicians—Neurology’s Underused Resource.” The article was authored by nurse practitioner Calli Cook and Dr Heidi Schwarz, a neurologist with the University of Rochester and argued that due to a shortage of neurologists across the country, non-physician practitioners should be used more widely to provide neurology care to patients. Physicians for Patient Protection submi...
Jun 27, 2021•35 min•Season 1Ep. 34
One of the ways that corporations have been successful in replacing physicians with lesser-trained medical practitioners is by creating a sense of equivalence so that patients think that the care they will receive is “the same.” For example, both physicians and nurse practitioners and physician assistants wear white coats, have similar-appearing badges, and may be referred to as “doctor” even if that doctorate is not a medical degree. Not only do these corporations elevate the role of nonphysici...
Jun 20, 2021•32 min•Season 1Ep. 33
One of the differences between physicians and nurse practitioners is that physicians are regulated by a state Board of Medicine, while in most states, nurse practitioners are regulated by a state Board of Nursing. This distinction is important, because while nurse practitioners are functioning in the same capacity as physicians—ordering and interpreting tests, making medical diagnoses, and writing prescriptions for medications—they are overseen by a regulatory body that includes nurses without e...
Jun 13, 2021•30 min•Season 1Ep. 32
In our book, we dedicate several chapters to discussing the differences in training between physicians and non-physician practitioners. One of the most important elements of physician training is learning how to create a differential diagnosis, which is a list of all the possible causes of a patient’s symptoms. Today we are joined by Dr. Mercy Hylton, a pediatric emergency medicine physician and who is also an author and a patient advocate, to discuss why physician training - including learning ...
Jun 06, 2021•32 min•Season 1Ep. 31
In part 2 of this discussion with emergency physicians Dr. Robert McNamara and Dr. Mitch Li, we learn about the dangers that patients face due to the takeover of private equity in healthcare. Get the book! https://www.amazon.com/Patients-Risk-Practitioner-Physician-Healthcare/dp/1627343164/ PhysiciansForPatientProtection.org
May 30, 2021•34 min•Season 1Ep. 30
