Dr. Robert Aertker, III has worked in Acadia parish for 11 years.
He said rural healthcare is a passion of his.
Aertker said, while he works with amazing Nurse Practitioners, it is that collaboration that keeps patients safe.
"I want to make sure that our public has the same level of protection throughout my career as a physician," Aertker said. "We need legislation that addresses both concerns on both sides so that the patient's safety, infrastructure, and the financial responsibility we as practitioners have comes out equal, fair, and the best for that patient."
Aertker said this is not to discredit Nurse Practitioners and the work that they do.
"The Nurse Practitioner helps me in my daily career and bridging the gap of care in our patients that are under served," Aertker said. "There needs to be oversights; to be completely fair there needs to be a better situation between the collaborator and nurse practitioner."
That, Aertker said, can only come if House Bill 495 is tabled and more discussions are had.
"We need to sit down as a group; a board of nursing and medical examiners and focus on a top-down approach," Aertker said. "What is going on now is a bottom down approach. They want to free up practitioners at the grassroots level and allow things to flourish and we'll figure it out as we go along. I don't think that is good medicine and I don't think that is good legislation."
For more on House Bill 495 click below:
https://www.katc.com/homepage-showcase/hb-495-dividing-some-in-the-medical-community
