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Example Letter for Representatives

Posted about 13 years ago by Christen Standiford

Thank you again to Ashley for providing this information! 

It is important that we all start to contact our House of Representative members as soon as possible because it will move through the House much quicker than it moved through the Senate. This is the link to all of them so you can contact yours: Click Here

Savannah Representatives: 

Please see below for an example email/letter to legislators. 

Thank you!!
Ashley Wanager 

One version of email or letter to our Respresentatives: (you can also make this shorter and please add in any specific examples from your practice) 

Dear Representative _____________________, 

I am an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) who lives in your district and I work at _____________. I am asking you to support SB 386. This bill removes the restriction that prevents my ordering of diagnostics studies such as CT and MRI scans unless there is a “life threatening situation.” Georgia is the only state in the United States with this restriction. 

Since 2006 all other delegated medical acts, including diagnostic studies like x-rays and ultrasounds have been successfully governed by the Nurse Protocol Agreement between the APRN and their collaborating physician. This physician must be available to consult if there is any question about patient care. There is no evidence that these imaging exams cannot also be regulated through the Nurse Protocol Agreement. 

As Georgia’s critical shortage of primary care physicians worsens, more APRN’s are providing expert care to patients at clinical sites where a physician is not always present. The need to stop and obtain a doctor’s signature causes delay in ordering. There is additional delay in the reporting of results to the practitioner actually who saw the patient, as only the doctor’s name is on the order and all results are sent only to this physician. A patient must sometimes be sent to another facility in order for a timely diagnosis 

APRN’s hold Masters Degrees at a minimum and are Nationally Board Certified in their field. Ordering diagnostic studies, including radiographic imaging tests is part of what I am trained and certified to do. 40 years of research have shown that APRN’s provide high quality, cost effective care. There is no evidence that patient safety, health care costs or liability would be increased if this restriction were removed. 

Laws and regulations for health care professionals exist to protect the public. However regulations without the evidence to support them diminish public safety because they decrease the availability of care to those in need. Without such access, health outcomes diminish and costs rise. 

It makes no sense to prevent me from ordering diagnostic studies that I am qualified to order unless my patients condition is “life threatening”. Please support SB 386. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. 

Sincerely,
your name and credentials