#186: Tactical Tuesday: Use Scope of Practice as your Roadmap for Opening a Clinic

OVERVIEW:

Jason A. Duprat, Entrepreneur, Healthcare Practitioner and host of the Healthcare Entrepreneur Academy podcast talks about the best entrepreneurial states for APRNs to open up a practice. He answers questions about how to actually start a practice, including the importance of remaining within your scope of practice. Be sure to listen until the end of the episode for a special free offer from Jason! 

 

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

The Nurse Practice Act outlines everything a nurse is allowed to do, depending upon their license type.  Visit your state’s Board of Nursing website to access scope of practice regulations.  Over the last 30 years or so, there’s been a big move to expand scope of practice and increase autonomy for nurses in the US. When it comes to owning a practice, there are several levels of physician involvement. Only a few states require having a physician present for direct supervision.  Following direct supervision, the next level is physician supervision where the physician directs the work and has overview responsibilities to ensure appropriate treatment is provided.  Next is physician collaboration which means a physician isn’t required to be onsite yet he/she is available for consultation. Protocols at this level can be in a written format yet it’s not required.  Lastly, a physician isn’t required to be onsite for the independent practice level and these protocols can be verbal. Independent prescribing is an area that falls into this level. If you need to find a collaborating physician, NPs can go to the Collaborating Docs website (see link in the Resource section).  If regulations limit your scope of practice to a certain area, hire another NP or you can change your specialty by obtaining a post-master’s graduate certificate.

 

3 KEY POINTS:

You can start a practice in any state, but the best states allow nurses to practice independently of a physician and to prescribe—no collaboration required.  Understand the level of autonomy allowed by your state’s regulations and then structure your practice so staff members remain within their scope of practice. Collaborating physicians are not responsible for the independent decisions of the APRNs they’re supervising or working with.

 

TWEETABLE QUOTES:

“Understand your scope of practice.” - Jason Duprat

“Hire...or become double board certified.” - Jason Duprat

 

CONNECT WITH JASON DUPRAT:

LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Youtube | Facebook Group

 

RESOURCES:

Sign up for one of our free business start-up Masterclasses by heading over to https://healthcareboss.org/masterclass/ Have a healthcare business question? Text me at 386-284-4955, and I’ll add you to my contacts. Occasionally, I’ll share important announcements and answer your questions as well. Do you enjoy our podcast? Leave a rating and review: https://lovethepodcast.com/hea