States Mull Expanding Role of Midlevel Health Professionals
States are seeking to define the extent of health care services that a growing group of midlevel health professionals -- such as physician assistants and nurse practitioners -- can provide, as demand for their skills rises amid a potential physician shortage. More than 1,795 state-level scope-of-practice bills have been proposed in the last two years, 349 of which were enacted, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
- "Battles Erupt Over Filling Doctors' Shoes" (Beck, Wall Street Journal, 2/3).