To promote team based health care
If enacted, HB 2144 would significantly influence the regulatory framework governing advanced practice nurses in Massachusetts. By mandating collaborative relationships between APNs and physicians, the bill aims to set a standard for practice that could enhance the quality of care provided. The requirement for APNs to have structured clinical relationships within health care systems may lead to better health outcomes by ensuring comprehensive patient management and reducing instances of disconnected or solo practice. This teamwork approach is expected to facilitate improved communication among health care providers, thereby fortifying patient care traditions in the state.
House Bill 2144 aims to enhance health care delivery through the promotion of team-based health care systems. Specifically, the bill emphasizes the need for advanced practice nurses (APNs) to have clinical relationships with physicians under a collaborative framework. It seeks to ensure that APNs who have independent practice authority operate within a health care system that includes specific provisions for consultation, management, and referrals based on the patient's health needs. This legislative move is aimed at improving patient care by emphasizing a multidisciplinary approach in health care settings.
Notable contention surrounding HB 2144 may arise from stakeholders who are concerned about the implications of mandated collaboration on the practice autonomy of advanced practice nurses. While bill proponents argue that such regulations enhance patient care, critics may voice concerns about overregulation that might limit the ability of APNs to operate independently. Additionally, discussions may focus on how these changes would affect existing state law related to health care practice, particularly in terms of professional autonomy for nurses and the dynamics of health care teams.
The bill is positioned within a wider context of health care reform aimed at enhancing care delivery models. There may be discussions regarding the balance between collaborative practice and maintaining professional autonomy for APNs, which has historically been a point of contention in health policy. Stakeholders, including health care professionals, legislators, and public health advocates, are likely to engage in discussions regarding how to best structure these collaborative models to lead to effective health care systems statewide.