New legislation introduced to assess critical care services in the U.S.

Yesterday, House Energy and Commerce Committee Member Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced legislation to assess critical care health services in the United States.  The Critical Care Assessment and Improvement Act of 2010 (H.R. 6306) calls for a needed evaluation of the current state of the U.S. critical care medical delivery system and new policies to improve the quality and effectiveness of care delivered to the critically ill and injured.

"With the aging of the baby boomer generation and in the wake of recent health threats such as the H1N1 virus, it's essential that we take inventory of our current critical care infrastructure and address gaps that may hinder our ability to care for the critically ill or injured," said Congresswoman Baldwin.  "America needs a robust critical care infrastructure and now is the time to ensure that we have one," Baldwin said.

Each year, five million Americans are admitted into intensive care units (ICUs); critical care medicine consumes more than 13 percent of all hospital costs.

Despite the significant role critical care medicine plays in the U.S., recent health care initiatives have not prioritized improvements to the critical care delivery system.  Given this, "This bill represents a major step in recognizing the importance of quality critical care medicine, and is a significant development for patients, families and health care professionals," said Dr. Jeffrey Grossman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the University of Wisconsin Medical Foundation and Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Grossman, who chairs the board of the Roundtable, added: "This measure will advance a much- needed, comprehensive federal critical care agenda in Congress."

The bill is designed to identify gaps in the current critical care delivery model and bolster capabilities to meet future demands, including improving federal disaster preparedness efforts to care for the critically ill or injured.