Welcome to East County Internal Medicine in Bradenton
Primary Care Physician
Since 2017, we have been an independent, full-service primary care practice serving Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, Sarasota, and Parrish.
We offer:
- Live telephone service
- Prompt replies via phone, portal, email, or fax
- Care coordination during referrals
- Shared decision-making with our patients
Update – May 15, 2025
We will no longer be submitting claims to insurance or Medicare.
Yes, we can still be your primary care provider. All visits will now follow our long-standing self-pay structure:
- New Patient Visit: $175
- Follow-Up Visit: $125
This change reduces administrative burden and allows us to be more available and focused on patient care.
Contact Us
Have questions? Reach out by phone or email:
Urgent Awareness for Nurse Practitioner Students - The Ethical and Legal Risks of Paying for Preceptors
🛑 Attention, Nurse Practitioner Students and Educators! We need to talk about a growing concern that affects your education, your future, and the integrity of our profession. Many of you are facing the difficult choice of paying for preceptors and clinical rotations out of pocket, but this practice raises serious ethical and legal considerations that we cannot ignore.
📌 The Reality: Finding preceptors is one of the biggest obstacles in NP education, especially during challenging times. The web results from nursingcecentral.com and allnurses.com highlight how some students, desperate to complete their clinical hours, are considering or already paying for preceptors. This is unfortunate and deeply concerning for several reasons:
🔍 Ethical Considerations:
Paying for preceptors undermines the collaborative educational relationship that should exist between schools, healthcare providers, and students. It's not just about money; it's about the principle of fair access to education.
The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) emphasizes that clinical education should be a shared responsibility, not a financial burden on students. When students pay, it can lead to exploitation and erode the trust in our educational system.
⚖️ Legal Risks:
Direct payment to preceptors by students is likely illegal in many states. State nursing boards, like the Washington State Board of Nursing, offer structured incentives to preceptors, but these are grants or stipends, not individual transactions. Paying out of pocket could violate state regulations and put your licensure at risk.
Clinical rotation costs, if charged by schools, must be transparently disclosed and legally structured. Hidden or undocumented payments could lead to legal challenges and damage your professional standing.
💔 The Unfortunate Truth:
It's heartbreaking that students, already burdened with tuition and other costs, feel pressured to pay for preceptors. This practice exploits your desperation and distracts from the core mission of providing quality healthcare education.
Schools should be stepping up to secure placements, not leaving you to navigate this alone. The responsibility lies with them, not you.
📢 What Can We Do?
Raise Awareness: Share this post with your peers and educators. Let's start a conversation about the ethical and legal implications of paying for preceptors.
Advocate for Change: Demand that your schools provide better support for finding preceptors. Network with alumni, professional organizations, and local healthcare facilities to find legitimate placements.
Seek Guidance: If you're considering payment, consult your school's administration and state nursing board to ensure compliance with legal and ethical standards.
🤝 Let's Stand Together: We must protect the integrity of NP education and ensure that all students have fair access to the clinical experiences they need. Paying for preceptors is not the solution—it's a symptom of a larger problem that we can address together.
#NursePractitionerEducation #EthicalConcerns #LegalRisks #SupportOurStudents
Sources: nursingcecentral.com, allnurses.com, Washington State Board of Nursing, American Association of Nurse Practitioners