With more than a decade of education and training, physicians are highly qualified to oversee, direct and ensure safe medical procedures, surgeries, and overall care. Kentuckians are most comfortable with a highly trained physician overseeing their health care. A recent (Dec. 2022) statewide survey conducted for the KMA by an independent polling organization found that Kentucky patients overwhelmingly trust and want physician-led, team-based care.

Furthermore, recent studies show that care delivered under the guidance and oversight of a highly trained physician led to fewer emergency room visits, fewer hospital admissions and readmissions, shorter hospital stays, and overall lower healthcare costs.

KMA supports physician-led team-based care and will undertake efforts to address scope of practice issues and legislation presented by non-physician healthcare providers that would lower quality, increase costs, and hinder access to health services.

Additional information and results from KMA’s statewide polling on this issue are available here.