Nurse practitioners start up a practice of their own

Entrepreneurs offer a different perspective on patient care, By Susan Wilinski Nurse practitioners Sharon St. Angelo and Sandy Morrison have embarked on a new journey. Leaving the comfort of an established medical practice to realize their vision, they opened New Perspectives Health Care, located at 13A Main Street in Sparta, this year. Their client base stretches to Lafayette and Ogdensburg, too. Having worked with each other for more than 10 years at Sussex County Medical Associates in Andover, the nurse practitioners collaborated on patient care and dealt with sick visits, providing much needed coverage for a daily overflow of patients. “Patients initially saw us by accident. Their (primary care physician) was unavailable and they would be scheduled with the NP (nurse practitioner). Many preferred the care provided by the NP and we became their primary provider,” St. Angelo said. Both nurse practitioners loved what they were doing, but were feeling confined by the time constraints placed upon them by the schedule. St. Angelo and Morrison believed that the patient deserved more ... more time, more attention. They decided to try to do something about it. “We were frustrated that we could not give the patients the time we thought they deserved and the time we wanted to give them,” Morrison said. “We decided after many agonizing discussions that we would try to do it on our own.” St. Angelo said, “Due to reduced reimbursement by insurers, primary care providers traditionally focus on volume — see more patients in less time. Sandy and I focus on getting a thorough history from the patients. We know the patient’s family, their work situation and their medical history. From there, we formulate a plan with the patient to improve and maintain their health.” This became the driving force behind New Perspectives Health Care. “We are ... more like the old country provider who was more of a colleague of the patient and who really got to know them and their families,” Morrison said. “Our goal is to spend more time with the patient and not less.” Opening their business was not without its challenges. “The primary challenge we faced involved recognition by insurance companies. Many embraced us with open arms as a choice for their patients, while others are still confused as to how to handle this emerging field in health care. Breaking the barriers with insurers is still our primary battle,” said St. Angelo. She said the area’s largest insurer won’t recognize nurse practitioners as primary providers. “They are willing to empanel nurse practitioners as specialists working for a physician, but not those in independent practice,” she said. The insurance companies were not the only obstacle that they faced. “Learning new things — How to open a practice, how to write a business plan, how to get a phone system, and so on,” said Morrison about starting up. “We were also not sure all of our patients would follow, but thought most would. So fear would be a good word!” The time may be right for practices like New Perspectives Health Care. With the nation’s healthcare plans now hotly debated, patients are much more aware of the details of their own plans and the choices available to them. “With fewer and fewer physicians choosing primary care due to its low level of reimbursement, NPs are trained and ready to fill that gap,” said St. Angelo. “We have been doing it quietly and behind the scenes for years.” For information, call 973-726-0355.