Safe, affordable care

As a practicing certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) in Arkansas, I am pleased patients now have increased access to safe, affordable care with the passage of House Bill 1198.

This action is a win for patients throughout Arkansas. It not only brings the state in line with a current Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services waiver, but also with most states in the nation. Arkansas will be the 42nd state to not have supervision for CRNAs in its Nurse Practice Act. This will allow for maximization of the health-care work force and decrease both health-care operational costs for hospitals and liability costs for CRNAs and physicians. Hospitals in states with similar laws have enhanced capability to provide high-quality, cost-effective anesthesia services.

Today in Arkansas, anesthesia services are provided solely by CRNAs in all of our critical-access hospitals that offer surgical services, and in 90 percent of our rural hospitals. They comprise 68 percent of the state’s anesthesia care providers. This bill recognizes that CRNAs are qualified to make decisions regarding all aspects of anesthesia care based on their education, licensure, and certification.

The bill provides that nurse anesthetists may, within scope of practice, administer drugs pre-operatively and post-operatively in connection with an anesthetic or other operative or invasive procedure, but only in consultation with a physician, dentist or health-care professional already lawfully entitled to order anesthesia. It does not call for the opening or licensure of pain-management clinics.

I applaud the passage of HB1198 and thank Gov. Asa Hutchinson for signing the bill to ensure all residents of Arkansas have access to affordable, safe and high-quality surgical, obstetrical and emergency care close to home.

MARY JANE CAMPBELL

Hot Springs