FLORIDA SCOPE OF PRACTICE BILL PASSES FINAL HOUSE COMMITTEE

Florida House Bill 607: Health Care Practitioners, a bill that would allow advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) and physicians assistants to practice to the full extent of their education and training without physician supervision, yesterday passed the Health and Human Services Committee with a vote of 15 Yeas and 0 Nays. The bill will now go forward to the floor of the Florida House for a final vote.

During the committee meeting the bill sponsor, Representative Dr. Cary Pigman, made a compelling speech addressing the accusations and misrepresentations being advanced by organized medicine in Florida.

“The one comment we’ve heard as the years have gone by is: ‘If you want to be a doctor, go to medical school.’ And I’ve never understood what (1/6) Jose D.C.: ?The one comment we’ve heard as the years have gone by is: ‘If you want to be a doctor, go to medical school.’ And I’ve never understood what that meant. I don’t know what the intent was. I thought it was sort of vacuous and just a knee-jerk response without any deep meaning. But I have that meant. I don’t know what the intent was. I thought it was sort of vacuous and just a knee-jerk response without any deep meaning. But I have reflected upon it.

And if being a doctor, means being able to practice your skills and arts without paying a permit fee to some other professional then I want to be a doctor. If being a doctor means to be able to help people with chronic illnesses to live a fuller life, then I want to be a doctor. If being a doctor means to be able to understand that learning does not stop with school or residency but only begins and continues lifelong, then I want to be a doctor. If being a doctor means to able to willingly and voluntarily join a team of colleagues to improve people’s lives, then I want to be a doctor.

Jose D.C.: But… if being a doctor means to profit off the labors of others, then I don’t want to be a doctor. If being a doctor means to spread false information to fearmonger, then I don’t want to be a doctor. If being a doctor means to deny decades of systematic sexual discrimination, then I don’t want to be a doctor. If being a doctor means to deny that there’s an access to healtchare problem, then I don’t want to be a doctor. And if being a doctor means to rely upon a state statue to ensure your value and self-worth, then I don’t want to be a doctor. Now after all that, I have steadfastly and lovingly practiced medicine. I’ve been involved in healthcare since 1974. And I’ve been a doctor since 1983. And I also remain steadfast in my belief that these advanced healthcare practice professionals have much to give to the people of Florida. Legislators: Let’s get out of their way.”

– Representative Dr. Cary Pigman before the FLorida Health and Human Services Committee 2/26/2020