House holds hearing on AHA-supported bill to support front-line health care workers

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health today held a hearing on a number of bills to bolster the health care workforce, including the AHA-supported Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act (H.R. 1667).

Named for a doctor who led the emergency department at New York-Presbyterian Allen Hospital, the bipartisan legislation would authorize grants to create programs that offer behavioral health services for front-line health care workers; require the Department of Health and Human Services to study and recommend strategies to address health care provider burnout and facilitate resiliency; and direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to launch a campaign encouraging health care workers to seek assistance when needed. 

“A sufficient, healthy workforce is foundational to maintaining access to high quality care, especially as hospitals are strained by crises such as surges in COVID-19 hospitalizations,” AHA said in a statement submitted to the subcommittee. “The AHA has joined #FirstRespondersFirst, the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, American Medical Association, American Nurses Foundation and Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare in launching All In: Wellbeing First for Healthcare, a call to action for health care organizations to prioritize workforce well-being.”

AHA also urged Congress to “prioritize funding that supports the health care workforce needs of the country in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and into the future. This includes lifting the cap on Medicare-funded physician residencies, boosting support for nursing schools and faculty, expediting visas for qualified international nurses and supporting programs that address clinician well-being.”

The Senate in August passed an amended version of the bill that would also require the Government Accountability Office to report to Congress on the extent to which federal substance use disorder and mental health grant programs address SUD and mental health conditions among health professionals.