The Doctor Is Out

Steve Chapman of the Chicago Tribune writes that non-physicians, like nurse practitioners, should be given more authority to treat patients. “What people with medical problems need is medical care, but you don’t always need a physician to get treatment. You might also see a different sort of trained professional — say, a nurse practitioner, physician’s assistant, nurse or physical therapist. Not every ailment demands Dr. McDreamy, any more than every car trip requires a Lexus. If you have a sore throat, earache or runny nose, you probably don’t absolutely require a board-certified internist to conduct an exam and dispense a remedy.”