| Public
Affairs
With an accomplished history of dedication to improving care of
the critically ill through patient care, education, research and
advocacy, SCCM views its role in public affairs as integral to achieving
the mission of the organization. By focusing on issues of public
policy, quality care, reimbursement & payment policy, and the
examination of ethical issues; and by communicating with policymakers
and decision-makers in the advocacy process, the Society addresses
some of the most involved and pressing health care issues of our
time.
The SCCM Advocacy Committee is comprised of SCCM members from the
multiprofessional team who monitor advocacy issues
and submit recommendations to the SCCM Council for consideration.
The Advocacy Committee is an ongoing part of the Society's commitment
to public service.
The Society also forms Task Forces (for one-time objectives) and
Coalitions (for collaborative efforts) when they are most appropriate
for improving the delivery of health care services to critically
ill patients.
Contacts
Eric Chandler, Manager Professional Affairs - echandler@sccm.org
Ann Cox, Professional Affairs Coordinator - acox@sccm.org
Current News
NEW! The HRSA workforce report to Congress on the intensivist workforce supply and demand has been released. To view the complete report, the press release and background information, please click below.
For further background materials, please click here to go to the Advocacy Activities page.
SCCM’s initiative to provide basic critical care skills to non-intensivists working in underserved communities continues to need your support. The Society is seeking federal appropriations to fund its proposal to provide Fundamental Critical Care Support (FCCS) courses to staff in underserved areas of the US, beginning with a pilot program in Illinois. If funding is obtained and the pilot successful, the Society would seek additional funding to expand the program throughout the United States. Hospitals in Illinois have been approached and we are asking others to recommend this pilot to elected officials. You may use SCCM’s online advocacy tool to send a letter of support to your elected congressional officials in Washington, DC.
A draft letter is available, and the online tool uses your zip code to identify elected representatives and senators. The Society needs the help of members and nonmembers in Illinois and throughout the US. Please lend your support today by using our Legislative Action Center, visit http://www.capwiz.com/sccm/issues/alert/?alertid=8621961&type=CO.
News Archive
An important bill related to healthcare has passed the U.S. Senate and was referred to the House Subcommittee on Health. The Wired for Health Care Act strives to enhance patient safety, reduce healthcare costs and improve efficiency by promoting the use of electronic health records and quality measurement systems.
The Society’s Advocacy Committee has created an “information alert” using SCCM's Legislative Action Center. Members may learn more about this bill, consider its impact and contact their representatives in the U.S. House with their feedback. The Society has not taken a position on the bill, but members of the healthcare community are encouraged to weigh in.
The Society's Legislative Action Center allows users to:
* learn about the latest policy developments relevant to critical care
* identify your elected official(s) using your ZIP Code
* contact policymakers (occasionally with prepared messages that can be personalized)
For more information on the latest information alert, visit http://www.capwiz.com/sccm/issues/alert/?alertid=8392326
Continuing its support of quality end-of-life (EOL) care, the Society recently sent a letter to Sen Nelson in support of the Advanced Directives Improvement & Education Act (S 347), or ADIE Act. The Society encourages members to contact their elected representatives to comment on this piece of legislation.
The ADIE Act is a bill amending titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act and title III of the Public Health Service Act to:
- improve access to information about individuals' health care operations and legal rights for care near the end of life
- promote advance care planning and decisionmaking so that individuals' wishes are known should they become unable to speak for themselves
- engage health care providers in disseminating information about and assisting in the preparation of advance directives
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