HENDERSONVILLE - Blue Ridge Community Health Services announces Dr. Richard Hudspeth has joined BRCHS as chief medical officer. His transition to that role began May 1 and he will assume full duties of the position on July 1. 

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Fun Being Had At The 13th Annual Heartstrings Fundraiser

The 13th Annual Heartstrings Fundraiser was held this weekend at Carrier Park in west Asheville. Heartstrings was at the Kids Zone at the Mountain Sports Festival and included fun activities like a bouncy house, climbing wall, and face painting. WCMS would like to thank to all the sponsors and volunteers who made this event amazingly successful. A special thank you goes to Quest Diagnostics, the presenting sponsor of Heartstrings. There were 445 families who registered to participate in the event. In total, well over 1,000 people joined us for the Heartstrings fundraiser over Memorial Day weekend. The event was a huge success, fun was had by all, and we raised $10,000 for the WCMS Foundation.

The General Assembly is considering several bills this session that would remove physician supervision requirements for many non-physician practitioners. Among the most aggressive of these proposals is one introduced by Sen. Ralph Hise, SB 695, Modernize Nursing Practice Act, which enhances the already broad authority of the North Carolina Board of Nursing.

Now is the time to contact your state senator to contact your state senator to explain why physician supervision helps ensure the safety of your patients. Our current law allows nurses to expand their expertise well beyond their formal education by working side by side with a supervising physician. In fact, advanced practice nurses in North Carolina can perform any medical act approved by a supervising physician. The current supervision law allows nurses to practice to the fullest extent possible, while maintaining the safety net of physician expertise vital to patient safety. Contact your legislator now.

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