Advocacy Correspondence: PA Senate Committee on Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure, Support for SB 25

 

March 29, 2023

Dear Chairman Stefano and Chairwoman Boscola;

On behalf of approximately 235 member hospitals, The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) supports Senate Bill (SB) 25 which would allow certified registered nurse practitioners (CRNP) to practice within the parameters of their licenses without the need for collaborative agreements with physicians, so long as they have already practiced under such supervision for three years and 3,600 hours.

The health care workforce shortage is the most pressing issue facing Pennsylvania’s entire continuum of care. HAP supports initiatives that allow well-trained health care providers to practice at the top of their licenses and that remove unnecessary administrative barriers to caring for patients within the boundaries of the provider’s training.

Today’s health care professionals function as part of health care teams, which is consistent with delivery models used by hospitals and health systems. Team-based approaches are critical as Pennsylvania grapples with health care workforce shortages that are among the most severe in the nation. A recent HAP survey shows that, across the commonwealth, as many as three in 10 key hospital positions remain vacant despite aggressive efforts to fill them.

Rural Pennsylvanians, where challenges in accessing care are already pervasive, feel this crisis acutely. CRNPs help bridge the gap and often provide essential health services in areas of most need. Currently, however, Pennsylvania’s CRNPs must secure and maintain collaborative agreements with two physicians in order to practice. Once proven safe and effective by three years and 3,600 hours of supervision, the real-world effects of this requirement are an unnecessary increase in administrative and financial burden for providers and an unacceptable decrease in access to care for patients.

SB 25 would allow Pennsylvania to join 26 states and the District of Columbia that allow CRNPs to practice to their full authority. With stringent parameters that would require CRNPs to work under physician supervision for three years and 3,600 hours prior to attaining full scope of practice, this legislation would make the commonwealth one of the strictest states in the country without the collaborative/written agreement. A recent study notes that if Pennsylvania joins neighboring states, like Maryland for example, as many as 1,700 additional patients could potentially receive care each week.

There is no single or simple solution to solving Pennsylvania’s health care workforce crisis. State government intervention and strategic policy are needed; SB 25 is a step in the right direction. If you would like to learn more about strategic recommendations from HAP’s Health Care Talent Task Force, I invite you to read “A Roadmap for Growing Pennsylvania’s Health Care Talent.”

Thank you for your time, consideration, and prioritization of legislative measures that aim to address Pennsylvania’s health care workforce crisis. Allowing full practice authority for CRNPs after meeting the appropriate requirements is a reasonable and responsible approach. Please prioritize consideration of SB 25 and urge your colleagues to vote yes.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please contact me via email or phone (717) 433-1997. Please call on us if we can assist you in this vital work that will benefit all Pennsylvanians.

Sincerely,

Heather Tyler
Vice President, State Legislative Advocacy

c:   Members of the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee
     The Honorable Camera Bartolotta

 

            

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Topics: State Advocacy, Workforce

Revision Date: 3/29/2023

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