What physicians need to know about the AMA's effort to fight 'scope creep'

Included in the American Medical Association's Recovery Plan for America's Physicians is a plan to fight "scope creep." 

Scope creep is a term commonly used in project management. In healthcare, it refers to the expansion of the scope of practice for non-healthcare professionals in areas including pharmacy, primary care, optometry and behavioral health.

Here are six things physicians should know about the AMA's actions taken against scope creep:

1. The AMA has been fighting against legislation for scope expansions of nonphysicians since 2019.
2. According to a report released by the AMA in June, the association had worked with 30 state medical associations to fight the more than 70 bills introduced across state legislatures looking to expand the scope of practice.
3. The report also listed several "battleground states" in which the organization saw legislative victories: Alabama, Colorado, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin.
4. The AMA conducted a survey in 2021 on patient sentiment on scope of practice that found that 95 percent of the 1,000 participants said it was important to them for a physician to be involved in diagnosis and treatment decisions.
5. The AMA recently opposed proposed state legislation that would give certified registered nurse anesthetists in New Jersey the ability to provide anesthesia without a physician present. 
6. The AMA's fight against scope creep has been criticized by the American Academy of Physician Associates, which said in 2020 that "our professional organizations should work together to find solutions to current healthcare challenges. … We should build public confidence in our nation’s healthcare workforce."