Promoting transparency and safety for patients in Texas.
Ensuring all Texans can see a physician for any medical concerns.
We are Texas 400 (a 501c4) and Texas Physicians for Patients PAC. Our mission is to ensure that all Texans are able to see a physician (MD/DO) when they have a medical problem. We seek transparency for all practices so that patients will know whether they are being seen by a NPP (non-physician provider) or an actual physician (MD/DO) and will have the right to choose physician-led care.
About TX400 and Texas Physicians for Patients PAC
We are a grassroots, bipartisan organization of Texas physicians, united in the belief that the practice of medicine should be performed by those who have been trained in medical school and medical residency programs (MD, DO or MBBS). We are a diverse group which includes practicing and retired physicians, residents, and medical students from across the spectrum of specialties including primary care, and medical and surgical specialties. We believe every patient has the right to be seen by a fully trained physician. Nurse practitioners (NP/APRN/CRNA) and physician assistants (PA) are valuable members of the medical team, but should practice under physician supervision. We believe that patient safety demands complete transparency, and the public should be aware of the credentials and training of those providing medical care. Lots of providers call themselves “doctor,” but only those who are MD, DO or MBBS actually attended medical school and did post graduate residency training.
Our Mission
We seek accountability for the decisions made by nonphysician providers so that they are legally responsible for the treatment they provide. “Practicing at the top of their license” is actually practicing medicine without a medical license. Yet courts do not hold advanced practice nurses to the same standard of care as a physician. Rather they are held to a nursing standard of care. Patients should not have different outcome expectations when they are not given the opportunity to see a physician.
Our Goal
Our goal is to pass legislation that will promote patient safety in Texas, and to ensure every patient has the opportunity to see a physician in the healthcare setting. We advocate for transparency laws that will:
require all healthcare providers to clearly identify their qualifications and profession as nursing, physician assistant, or MD/DO. The use of the title “doctor” in a clinical setting should be restricted to those with an MD or DO degree. Use of this terminology by other professions is confusing to the public.
All healthcare facilities employing nonphysician providers should clearly post signs indicating the name of the physician responsible for the care being given, and whether that physician is onsite. This same information should be made available on webpages and other advertising materials.
All Urgent care and emergency rooms should clearly post whether there is a physician on-site.
Check out these links:
https://www.kxan.com/investigations/the-misdiagnosis-ended-up-costing-her-her-life-a-texas-familys-warning-for-all-parents/
https://www.newsnationnow.com/investigation/transparencyinhealthcare/
Click here to read about SB993 - The optometry increased scope of practice bill from the 2020 Texas Legislative session.
Is your family’s doctor a physician?
It’s okay to ask.
In our quest for transparency, we seek that physicians and NPPs should wear name tags delineating their training and credentials.
You have the right to know!
“NURSE PRACTITIONERS HAVE 3% OF THE CLINICAL TRAINING OF A RESIDENT PHYSICIAN (500/15000) AND 12% OF THE TRAINING OF A NEW MEDICAL SCHOOL GRADUATE (500/4000) YET STATE LAWS DO NOT ALLOW THE NEWLY GRADUATING MEDICAL SCHOOL TO PRACTICE INDEPENDENTLY. DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO ALLOW THESE PRACTITIONERS WHO HAVE A FRACTION OF THAT TRAINING TO PRACTICE WITHOUT SUPERVISION? ”
Nurse Practitioners do NOT
LOWER HEALTH CARE COSTS
PROVIDE THE SAME CARE AS PHYSICIANS
PROVIDE BETTER PATIENT SATISFACTION
The Hattiesburg Study https://ejournal.msmaonline.com/publication/?m=63060&i=735364&p=22&ver=html5
ER physicians provide better more cost-effective emergency care than nurse practitioners
https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/scope-practice/3-year-study-nps-ed-worse-outcomes-higher-costs#:~:text=Nurse%20practitioners%20(NPs)%20delivering%20emergency,by%20the%20National%20Bureau%20of
https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/providers/ed-docs-offer-better-care-nurse-practitioners-says-research
care by NPs increases lengths of stay in hospitals by 11%
accounts for 20% more preventable hospitalizations compared to emergency department doctors.
Contact Us
Feel free to contact us with any questions or if you have a story you’d like us to share with Texas legislators.
Need help finding who your Texas legislators are? Click here: https://wrm.capitol.texas.gov/home