Entrepreneurial Practice for Nurses: An Assessment of the Issues

Abstract

For a number of years, some non-physician health service providers have moved to secure status as independent, autonomous providers of health services. In addition, non-physician providers have sought, often through the state legislatures, eligibility to receive payment directly, on a fee-for-service basis, from private and governmental third party payers; alternatively, they have sought for their charges to be reimbursed to their patients by insurers on such a basis. The struggle for autonomy is related to, and is preliminary to, the struggle for access to, or eligibility for, payment through third party payment mechanisms. The purpose of this article is to explore the implications of access to such payment in the current economic climate concerning the delivery of health services. The primary focus is on the nursing profession, in light of its continuing struggle to secure greater autonomy and to improve the economic rewards for nurses. The nursing profession is waging this struggle because it recognizes that gaining direct access to third party payment would increase the potential for economic success in developing private, independent nursing practices.