Video Calls for Prescribing Rights for Florida NPs

I work in a small town in North Florida and am lucky enough to have a doctor collaborate with me in the office on four day a week. Before he moved to the office, I would have to send patients 20 minutes away to the next office to get their controls signed. Most of my patients don't have the transportation to come to the office, let alone drive an additional distance to get a medication that I could take care of, if the state of Florida would get off it's butt and give me the right to prescribe.

This is an access to health care issue. Patients are suffering because of an  inability to get   prescriptions such as cough medication, ADD medication, psychiatric medication, and seizure medication.

Over 25% of Floridians do not have insurance and cannot access a physician provider because many physicians refuse to see them. Nurse Practitioners want to see these patients and care for them but are restricted from doing so.

It would cost the state nothing to give these patients access to care and it would save the patients money because these patients would not have to go to the ER to get these meds.

This is a shame and black mark on the state of Florida.