Practitioners needed

In reference to the March 10 article “More training, bigger roles for N.C. nurse practitioners”: The article saddened me since research has proven that care provided by nurse practitioners is safe, cost effective and in some cases superior to that of physicians (in treating chronic diseases), yet the medical establishment still attempts to limit their practice.

As stated in the article, 99 out of 100 counties in North Carolina are designated as medically underserved, which is defined as too few providers, high infant mortality, high poverty rates and a high elderly population. North Carolina ranks 33rd in overall health among the states.

Rather than putting effort into restricting nursing practice, isn’t it time for the N.C. Medical Society to embrace a team effort to meet the needs of North Carolina’s underserved?

Marianna Crane, Chapel Hill