CALL TO ACTION - HB4356 CRNA bill

By an overwhelming majority, HB 4356 passed the House Health and Human Resources Committee on January 28, 2020.  This bill updates the language in the Nurse Practice Act as it pertains to the actual practice of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) in West Virginia.

However, on Friday, Jan. 31, Delegate Nelson introduced an amendment to HB 4356 which would create a pathway for licensure of anesthesiologist assistants (AAs) in West Virginia.  We are urging you to call your delegates and ask them to VOTE NO on the Nelson Amendment to HB 4356! 

This amendment is unrelated to the original bill and unnecessary for the state of West Virginia. Please consider these facts:

• AAs are unproven. No peer-reviewed studies have been published in scientific journals regarding the quality or safety of anesthesia care delivered by AAs. In contrast, the quality and safety of anesthesia care provided by CRNAs have been confirmed by numerous research studies over the last 20 years alone.
• AAs do not ensure patient access to care. Because AAs are educated and trained only to work as assistants under the direct supervision of physician anesthesiologists, they cannot work independently in rural and other medically underserved areas of the state where anesthesiologists prefer not to practice. In contrast, CRNAs can work as the sole anesthesia professionals in such communities, ensuring patients access to needed healthcare services without having to travel hours to receive them.
• AAs are not cost-effective. AAs are highly paid assistants, and the doctors they are tied to—anesthesiologists—are one of the most highly compensated physicians. The additional cost to support an unnecessary and expensive AA + anesthesiologist team model is borne by hospitals, facilities, and patients. In contrast, CRNAs are not required by federal or state laws/regulations to be supervised by, or even work with, an anesthesiologist. Additionally, research has shown that a CRNA working solo is 25 percent more cost-efficient than the next most efficient anesthesia delivery model!

The West Virginia Association of Nurse Anesthetists will gladly provide you with any additional information you may need. You can reach them at wvanawebmaster@gmail.com or speak directly to WVANA President Julie Linton at (304) 676-3889.

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