Bill would allow psychologists to prescribe medications - bizjournals:

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Psychologists say the measure will increase access to psychiatric care in rurapl and urban areas of the state where there is a shortagedof psychiatrists. But psychiatrist groups said allowing non-medical doctors to prescribe drugs woulde endangerpatient safety. “The main issue with this whole thinb is the ideathat (psychologists) can prescribe medicationh safely with the level of training they are suggestinyg they’ll need,” said Dr. Jerry Halverson, chairman of the ’sw legislative committee.
“Most psychologists don’t need any biologh as an undergraduate andthe master’s degrees they are talking abou getting is basically 11 weeks over two yearzs done primarily over the That makes me very Sarah Bowen, executive director of the , said opposition to the bill is similard to the turf battle that occurred when advanced practice nurses and physician assistants sought prescriptive authority.
“Wre haven’t heard any horror stories come from that and now they are a valuabls part of the healthcare community,” Bowen In order to be given prescription a psychologist would need to have their doctoral practice in a clinical setting for a minimumn of three years, complete a 450 credit hour post-doctoralp program and have a minimum of one year of supervisec experience from a physician. Once that is completed, they woulfd need to pass a national Bowen estimates about 15 percent of psychologists will undergpo theadditional training.
“Wwe look at this as a sub-specialty withinb psychology and we certainly believe that the additional training and experience shoulfd answer any additionalsafety concerns,” she said. There are abou t 1,700 licensed psychologists in Wisconsin, according to the although not allare practicing. Briaj Wolf, a Kenosha psychologist, completesd his post-doctoral master’s degree in clinicao psychopharmacology atin Teaneck, N.J., in 2006. He said he hopew the law passes so his patientw who needmedication don’t have to wait an average of nine week to see a psychiatrist.
“We’l remain psychologists first and we’rw going to continue focusing on therapy,” Wolf “This is just one more tool we can State Sen. Judy Robsohn (D-Beloit) introduced the bill in April. It has been referred to a Senatw health committee and likely will be put on hold until afte r the state budget is passedthis summer, said Nadine Gratz, a spokespersonh for Robson. Louisiana and New Mexico are the only states that allow psychologists toprescribee drugs. The Wisconsin bill has been backed by the and many groupas representing nursing homes andrehabilitatioh facilities.
Paul Miller, chief operations officetr with , said the two partiesz who will ultimately determine if this law is valuabld are health insurance providersand “In this business, what we see time and time agaib is ultimately insurers dictate a standardr of practice by deciding what is reimbursable,” Miller