Reminder, responses to support SB 386 needed by Noon on Monday February 21 at the latest

Legislative Update, February 18, 2012

Critical Need for Rapid Response re SB 386—Reminder, responses needed by Noon on Monday February 21 at the latest

SB 386 which would remove the restriction for APRN ordering of MRI, CT and other imaging exams will be heard in subcommittee as early as Tuesday February 21. As of February 18 I have had only 13 responses to the below request from practicing APRN’s. Without more participation in this effort chances for success are severely diminished. With the critical primary care workforce shortage Georgia is facing, we have real opportunities to move our profession forward, but it takes a little effort from everyone. Please review and respond to the below request.

If you have experienced a barrier to patient care because of the restriction on ordering MRI’s, CT scans and other radiographic imaging studies send me a paragraph describing on or more instances where patient care was negatively affected by Sunday, noon on Monday February 20th at the latest our sponsor has asked for specific data on the negative effects of the restriction on ordering radiographic imaging tests in the form of specific examples from a variety of clinical settings from around the state. There are no formal studies that have been done that contain this data therefore, your responses are our only way to document the need to pass this legislation.

A clinical example should include the type of setting you practice in and your location in Georgia. Georgia.

Send your response to Laura Searcy at laurafsearcy@gmail.com AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Contact me if you have any questions and thank you in advance for your response.

Examples of possible negative consequences you have experienced may include:

• Delays in timely diagnosis and treatment while a physician signature is sought. Often this delay can be substantial, especially in rural and underserved areas where there is a significant physical distance between the location of the APRN and collaborating physician.
• Interference with complete discharge planning and follow-up, as the APRN can complete all other orders and arrangements for follow-up care, but must stop and seek a signature if the discharge plan includes an imaging scan.
• Increases costs and patient inconvenience
• Problems with transparency and accountability. A physician would not be signing an order for a patient he/she has not evaluated. Test results would go directly to the provider of record as well as the collaborating physician. Liability risk would decrease because of reduced delays and potential complications that may result from delayed care.
• Difficulty with appropriate billing under the correct providers NPI number