Virginia Academy Finds Middle Ground With NPs

The interests of family physicians and nurse practitioners (NPs) used to collide regularly in the Virginia General Assembly, largely because the Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners (VCNP) and their legislative allies had for a few years been advocating legislation that would grant NPs independent practice authority. During those years, the Virginia Academy of Family Physicians (VAFP), the Medical Society of Virginia (MSV) and their legislative allies argued successfully against the measures, resulting in a prolonged legislative stalemate that diverted time and resources away from other pressing issues, such as physician payment and removing administrative barriers to patient care. That longstanding impasse has now been resolved.