MSPs and expanding APPs’ scope of practice

This week, CRC Daily covers advanced practice professionals (APP) and allied health professionals (AHP). We start with an explanation from Credentialing Resource Center Symposium speaker Carol S. Cairns, CPMSM, CPCS, of the expanding scope of practice of APPs and how MSPs can lead the way.  

Q: Is it really possible to develop expanding scopes of practice for APPs? What role does the MSP play in this process? 

Cairns: Experience teaches us that this is occurring across the country. APPs are expanding their skills under the tutelage of their supervising or collaborating physician sponsors. Sometimes this is being done without the organization’s knowledge or approval. If an organization determines it wants to allow APPs to expand their scope of practice, it is imperative that the organization/medical staff develop a process to accomplish this goal. 

The MSP is at the heart of this process. The MSP is generally the one that identifies this process is needed or is already occurring without necessary permission. Thereafter, MSPs and medical staff leaders must determine the next steps. Policy? Procedures? Appropriate privileges for an APP? Criteria? Competence assessment? Among the skills needed are abilities to research, network, and lead a project.

Interested in learning more?

Have more burning questions about APPs and AHPs? Join us at the 2017 Credentialing Resource Center Symposium, April 6-7, in Austin, Texas, where Cairns and our other expert speakers will provide two days of engaging training sessions.

The following sessions may be of particular interest to you:

• APP Challenges: Competence Assessment and Expanding Scopes of Practice
  This session focuses on two problematic areas for APPs: creating meaningful OPPE/FPPE processes and managing expanding scopes of practice. Faculty will explain the similarities and differences between physician- and APP-facing OPPE/FPPE processes and identify resources for criteria development. Attendees will learn how to create a mechanism that supports legal expansion of an APP’s scope of practice and privileges, gain insight into the potential benefits of an APP interdisciplinary committee, and receive sample criteria and policy language.
• OPPE: Lessons Learned
  Even if your organization is not required to complete OPPE, it should have a physician competency evaluation plan in place. Our expert speakers will address the issues that make competency assessment a struggle, such as APPs, low-volume practitioners, telemedicine providers, selecting appropriate indicators, and creating meaningful reports. They will also discuss how to deal with conflicting guidance from accreditors and how to prepare OPPE documents for audits.