NPs, PAs, and Others Doing Cosplay as Radiologists
We are in crazy times in healthcare. I recently promoted Dr. Bernard’s book Imposter Doctors and received some pushback when I stated that midlevels and even chiropractors are creeping into the radiology specialty. “Please cite where,” I was asked. Well, I am not going to put all the studies pushing this trend but here are some:
Navigating the Paradox of Scarcity—The Case for Radiologist-Driven Care “Though radiologists are not yet being replaced, the legislative movements for FPA include language for diagnostic test interpretation. Radiologists who train NPPs to interpret imaging studies are arguably training their replacements.” (This article is 2 years old).
Here are some anecdotal events submitted by doctors:
If radiologists doon’t think nondoctors are coming for their jobs then they are sorely mistaken. This is what primary care thought. Yes, much of the roles for nondoctors are in interventional radiology right now but that is a trojan horse. Private equity will see the savings of AI plus a nondoctor over radiologist. It’s coming. You’ve been warned.
This comes as no surprise. They’ve been doing cosplay as ER doctors and hospitalists for some time now in many places. And I suspect the outcomes here will be just as bad.
Everything Is a Business Model.Everything has a bottom line. I will not do newborn,post delivery exams.Have not done any for 40 years.Will not read an Ultrasound.Have not had any training.Get me 1 year of training reading US then turn me lose on routine things and Mr Radiologist better read everyone I have done for next 3 to 5 years.I have done preliminary review of chest xrays,abdominal films and working a pain clinic I looked at CT/ MRI’s after the Radiologist gave his official reading. I love primary care,urgent care,family practice, but even after 47 years as a PA-C THERE IS SO MUCH I DO NOT KNOW still.Governor of Montana signed a bill allowing PA’s to hang out a shingle without formal supervision agreement.I object to that. New PA’S need 3 to 5 years of supervised training in whichever medical field they choose. Then one can almost relax.Because we all miss something or screw up.Pray it does not harm the patient or gets you sued.. Lots of work and politics to do.Good Luck..
And it’s the patient who suffers the consequences of this!
Scope. Plastic surgeons complained about non plastic surgeons decades ago. But we were ignored by our fellow physicians as we were too well paid and told we were just complaining about competition and turf wars.
But we were the canary in the coal mine about credentials and training and our fellow physicians should have supported.
Sounds like receptionists deciding who gets to see the GP and who doesn’t, and telling you about blood results without knowing what it means!
Some receptionists, that is. Not all of them