May 5, 2025

Michigan Voters Strongly Oppose Legislature’s Effort to Expand Imaging Interpretation to Nurse Practitioners

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 5, 2025

Contact: Chelsea Yi 734-652-3329 chelseay@mrgmi.com

Michigan Voters Strongly Oppose Legislature’s Effort to Expand Imaging Interpretation to Nurse Practitioners

Poll shows voters statewide strongly support maintaining the standard of physician-led healthcare and strongly oppose expanding radiology practices to nurse practitioners

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LANSING, Mich. – A recent statewide poll, commissioned by the Michigan Radiological Society, reveals substantial opposition to House Bill 4399 and SB 268, which would expand scope of practice for nurse practitioners (NPs) to interpret medical imaging without formal training. An overwhelming 80% (65% strongly oppose) of voters oppose legislation allowing NPs without formal training in imaging interpretation to independently read and interpret diagnostic imaging tests such as x-rays, CT scans, and MRIs.

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The overall sentiment was consistent across party lines, including 82% of Democrats, 84% of Republicans, and 72% of Independents. The polling shows that every region in the state has majority opposition to the proposed legislation. Mid-Michigan is the most opposed at 86%, followed by Metro-Detroit at 82% and West Michigan at 80%. Northern Lower Michigan, the Tri-City/Thumb area, and the UP also have majorities opposed at 71%, 75%, and 79% respectively.

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“No matter the party or the region, voters in Michigan prefer to have their imaging studies interpreted by radiologists, who undergo over a decade of training to be qualified to do so,” said Chelsea Yi, VP/COO at Marketing Resource Group. “Voters also strongly support legislation codifying the physician-led healthcare structure into law, which would maintain Michigan’s long-held standards of physician-led care.”

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Results showed overwhelming bipartisan support among Michigan voters for physician-led healthcare teams and transparent healthcare titles. According to the survey results, 85% of Michiganders support legislation ensuring that healthcare teams are led by physicians and that all team members' titles, roles, and training levels are clearly identified – a majority of voters in every region of the state supports this proposed legislation. Support is highest in West Michigan, Northern Lower Michigan, and the Tri-City/Thumb area all at 88% support. Following them is Metro-Detroit at 85%, Mid-Michigan at 81%, and the UP at 57%.

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"Michiganders overwhelmingly prefer healthcare teams led by clearly qualified physicians and strongly oppose practices that could compromise patient safety and diagnostic accuracy," said Chelsea Yi, VP/COO at Marketing Resource Group. "This polling underscores the public's demand for transparency, precision, and physician-led standards in healthcare."

The Question and Results

The results and the wording of the questions asked by the Michigan Radiological Society follow.

Q. There is proposed legislation in Lansing that would allow nurses to practice medicine without doctor or physician involvement. This includes interpreting imaging studies and performing imaging procedures. Would you support or oppose statewide legislation that would allow nurses with no formal training in imaging to interpret x-rays, CT scans, and MRIs for you or your family members?

Q. Studies show that the physician-led healthcare teams result in the safest, most cost-effective and most efficient healthcare delivery. Would you support or oppose statewide legislation to ensure that healthcare teams are led by physicians and that healthcare team members are clearly identified by name, professional title, and training?

The survey of 602 likely Michigan voters was conducted by live phone interview from March 24th- 28th 2025. The sample was randomly drawn from a listed sample of all registered voters with a history of voting and stratified by city and township to reflect voter turnout. Quotas for gender and cell phone interviews were met within each geographic area, and extra efforts were made to reach African Americans. Some columns or results may not add up to 100% because of rounding. Individual rounding may impact final totals. This survey yields a sampling margin of error of ±4 percent with a 96 percent confidence interval. The sampling margin of error for subgroups may be higher depending on the size of the subgroup.

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