| Health Professions E-Letter, 11/2003
1. November 2-8 a celebratory week
in allied health
2. Quotable: Dental disease reaching
"epidemic proportions"
3. Info available on certification
in radiologist assisting, breast sonography
4. AMA working to address disparities
in health care
5. USDA food pyramid should reflect
nation's diversity
6. Use of imaging technology a big
factor in rising healthcare costs
7. Searching for allied health data?
8. Get federal aid to establish/expand
educational programs
9. Speech-language-hearing convention
offers 1,500 sessions
10. Art therapy is "Allied
Health Profession of the Month"
11. New polysomnographic survey
pinpoints educational needs
12. Pittsburgh health care industry
in "crisis"
13. Help America reach Healthy
People 2010 goals
14. Increasing diversity in dietetics:
Two success stories
1. November 2-8 a celebratory
week in allied health
A) Allied Health Professions Week - http://www.healthpronet.org/prog_resources/ahpw_2003.html
Sponsors:
- Health Professions Network
- Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions
- National Network of Health Careers Programs in Two-Year
Colleges
Note: The AMA is now featuring this event on its home page;
see http://www.ama-assn.org
and select "Special Features," or click on: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/8865.html
B) Health Information and Technology Week - http://www.ahima.org/hitweek
Sponsor: American Health Information Management Association
C) National Radiologic Technology Week - https://www.asrt.org/asrt.htm
Sponsor: American Society of Radiologic Technologists
2. Quotable: Dental disease reaching
"epidemic proportions"
"Despite advances in dental science and practice that
have resulted in great improvements in our nation's ability
to provide oral health care, dental disease of all varieties
has reached epidemic proportions. More significantly, however,
disease is becoming localized with greater intensity among
populations that have limited access to care because of inability
to pay, age, cultural dissonance, and/or physical isolation."
- The Center for the Health Professions, University of California,
San Francisco
To read more, see: http://futurehealth.ucsf.edu/from_the_director_1003.html
3. Info available on certification
in radiologist assisting, breast sonography
Certification as a radiologist assistant is on schedule for
fall 2005 introduction by the American Registry of
Radiologic Technologists.
An RA curriculum, drafted by the American Society of Radiologic
Technologists, will serve as input for the
certification program’s development.
For updated information, see the "RA Update" section
at: http://www.arrt.org
Registered mammographers interested in obtaining ARRT certification
in breast sonography when the credential is introduced in
2004 can get a head start now by previewing the examination
content and clinical
experience requirements on ARRT’s Web site: http://www.arrt.org
4. AMA working to address disparities
in health care
On October 20, the AMA joined several other associations
in a Sullivan Commission on Diversity in the Healthcare Workforce
field hearing in Chicago.
In his address to the Commission, AMA President-elect John
C. Nelson, MD, MPH, said, "[A] major element in increasing
diversity in the health professions and medical schools is
the continued need to build a pipeline of future physicians,
nurses, dentists, and allied health professionals among children
of color. These motivational and educational goals must be
implemented at the elementary education level and sustained
throughout the educational system. Local and national enrichment
programs must be developed to provide additional and supplemental
education to students of potential."
To read Dr. Nelson's full comments, see:
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/20/testimonyoctober.pdf
(Adobe Acrobat Reader required)
To learn more about AMA efforts to reduce health disparities:
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/7639.html
FRIGHTENING BUT TRUE FLU FACT:
Only 38% of health professionals get the influenza vaccine
each year.
5. USDA food pyramid should reflect
nation's diversity
As the nation’s obesity epidemic takes hold -- with severe
public health repercussions -- the AMA Minority Affairs Consortium
responded to a request for comment on the proposed revision
of the food pyramid.
Among its recommendations were to include ethnic food ingredients
in the pyramid, such as ghee, bok choy, tofu, lentils, plantains,
and corn and flour tortillas, that reflect foods consumed
by many Americans but are not
reflected in the current pyramid.
Also, the weekly newspaper American Medical News published
a three-part series, "The Weight of Obesity," on
the many issues surrounding obesity and health care. Articles
included:
"Linking large people to care" (October 6)
http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2003/10/06/hlsa1006.htm
"Public health ponders future of children with diabetes"
(Oct 13)
http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2003/10/13/hlsa1013.htm
"Lessons from the fattest state" (October 20)
http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2003/10/20/hlsa1020.htm
6. Use of imaging
technology a big factor in rising healthcare costs
Growing consumer demand and an increasing supply of diagnostic
imaging equipment, combined with the
duplicative use of both new and older technologies, are driving
up healthcare costs in the US, according to a
recent study by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
Diagnostic imaging costs are expected to total as much as
$100 billion annually by 2005, up from about $75 billion in
2000.
The report found that demand may be driven in part by the
development of better and less-invasive technology and consumer
demand for new technology even when it is not clinically indicated.
Wide variations in imaging use state by state indicates a
need to promote more effective use of technology.
7. Searching for allied health data?
Attention workforce analysts, policy makers, professional
associations, and career counselors: If you’re interested
in a wide range of allied health education data, then check
out the AMA’s Health Professions Education Data Book.
This publication includes 22 tables of data for academic
year 2001-2002, including:
- Number of Programs and Enrollments, Attrition, and Graduates
by Occupation
- Enrollments, Graduates, and Number of Programs by State/Province
and Occupation
- Enrollments, Attrition, and Graduates by Race/Ethnic Origin
and Gender
- Health Professions Salary Ranges
To order the publication in Adobe Acrobat pdf format, see:
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/10250.html
The price is $20 for AMA members or directors of health professions
programs and $40 for nonmembers.
8. Get federal aid to establish/expand
educational programs
Schools seeking to expand or establish programs that will
increase the number of allied health professionals
(particularly those in medical underserved areas) may be eligible
for federal funding through the Through the Allied Health
Projects Grants Program of the Health Resources and Services
Administration, Bureau of Health
Professions.
In fiscal year 2003, average funding was $151,267 per project.
For more information, see:
http://www.healthpronet.org/prog_resources/news_100303.html
Applications are due Jan 13, 2004.
9. Speech-language-hearing convention
offers 1,500 sessions
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
Annual Convention, November 13-15, Chicago
http://www.asha.org/2003.htm
This year's convention (themed "New Frontiers in Biology")
is the most comprehensive professional development conference
for audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and speech,
language, and hearing scientists. One session, for example,
explores the acoustics of classrooms and their effect on speech
perception abilities of both children with normal hearing
and those with hearing loss.
Bob Love, former Chicago Bulls’ basketball star who overcame
stuttering, will receive the Annie Glenn Award
during ASHA annual awards ceremony. Senator and Mrs.
John Glenn will present the award to Mr. Love.
10. Art therapy is "Allied
Health Profession of the Month"
Now featured on the Health Professions Network's Web site
is the profession of art therapy:
http://www.healthpronet.org/ahp_month/10_03.html
Profiled in recent months were music therapy, occupational
therapy, respiratory therapy, and medical assisting.
To request that HealthProNet.org feature your health profession
in the future, send an e-mail to:
webmaster@healthpronet.org
11. New polysomnographic survey
pinpoints educational needs
Among its other findings, the 2003 Demographic, Salary, and
Educational Needs Survey of the Association of
Polysomnographic Technologists (APT) shows that responding
practitioners felt they would benefit most from additional
education/instruction related to:
- utilizing sleep resources
- marketing the sleep program and engaging in strategic
planning
- developing competencies for staff, policies, and procedures
- creating sleep awareness, working with news media, and
advocating for sleep
- engaging in public education
Respondents felt least proficient in their mastery of neurophysiology
and sleep center management.
The full report from the APT provides a detailed breakdown
of survey information by regions, credentials, full vs.
part time, job title, etc. These data are used by human resource
departments and sleep center administrators for salary and
job title comparisons. For more information, see: http://www.aptweb.org
12. Pittsburgh health care
industry in "crisis"
"The healthcare industry is [Pittsburgh’s] largest private
employer, employing 166,000 people, commanding millions in
national research dollars and serving a region of more than
two and a half million people. . . .
"But the sector is in crisis. Overall regional employment
demand by 2008 is projected to outstrip labor supply by
almost 125,000 people. Baby boomers are aging and retiring,
and fewer people are entering health careers.
"The demand for health workers is growing –- healthcare
jobs account for 15 of the 30 fastest-growing occupations
–- but in the region, vacancies go unfilled. There are too
few training slots for certain healthcare positions, as well
as a shortage of qualified instructors.
"Health workers report low job satisfaction, excessive
physical and emotional demands and long hours, resulting in
low employee retention. A faulty public perception of health
careers exacerbates all of these problems."
- from the August 2003 issue of Branches, from the Jewish
Healthcare Foundation of Pittsburgh. To view the newsletter
(in Adobe Acrobat PDF), see: http://jhf.org/reports/branches/pdfs/Bran_aug_03.pdf
13. Help America reach Healthy
People 2010 goals
Former US Surgeon General David Satcher, MD, has called upon
health professions’ schools to be essential partners in achieving
Healthy People 2010 goals.
Towards that end, and to help educators with the necessary
skills and knowledge to expand the prevention
content in their curriculum, Community-Campus Partnerships
for Health (CCPH) has announced the development of "Advancing
the Healthy People 2010 Objectives through Community-Based
Education: A Curriculum Planning Guide."
One of the Healthy People objectives is to "increase
the proportion of . . . health professional training schools
whose basic curriculum for health care providers includes
the core competencies in health promotion and disease prevention."
The Guide is intended to support this objective, while also
engaging students in community-based educational experiences
that advance other Healthy People Objectives.
For more information or to order the 250-page Guide:
http://futurehealth.ucsf.edu/ccph/guide-healthypeople.html
E-mail: ccph@itsa.ucsf.edu
14. Increasing diversity in
dietetics: Two success stories
Winthrop University's Department of Human Nutrition, Rock
Hill, SC, and the Nutrition Sciences Department of
Dominican University, River Forest, IL, were recognized for
their efforts to enhance student diversity by the
American Dietetic Association (ADA).
Winthrop received the 2003 Diversity Promotion Grant of $5,000
to support its Diversity Outreach program, which
focuses on recruitment of African Americans and males.
Dominican received the 2003 Diversity Action Award of $1,000.
The school’s didactic program in dietetics
increased its diversity by partnering with local culinary
schools and implementing a high school visiting program.
Over the last 5 years, the program has resulted in an increase
in diversity mix from 1% to a 2002-03 enrollment
of 26% men and 23% minority women.
http://www.eatright.org/Member/7782_17454.cfm
ABOUT US . . .
The Health Professions Career and Education E-letter is produced
by the American Medical Association (AMA).
This periodic newsletter covers educational trends and career-related
issues for more than 50 professions
that participate in the delivery of health care, including diagnostic
and rehabilitative services, therapeutic treatments, health
or information services management, counseling for psychosocial
and cognitive needs, or related services.
Newsletter readers and contributors include staff of health
professions accrediting agencies, educational programs and institutions,
professional organizations, certifying/licensing boards, and
media contacts.
Previous issues are available online at: http://www.ama-assn.org/go/hpe-letter
GIVE US YOUR STORY IDEAS AND FEEDBACK
What's happening in the world of health professions? If you
have any leads or story ideas, please contact us. Also, let
us know what you think about this newsletter--and feel free
to forward it to your colleagues.
Direct suggestions, comments, compliments, gripes, to:
Fred Donini-Lenhoff, Medical Education Products
515 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610
312 464-4635
312 464-5830 fax
fred_lenhoff@ama-assn.org
http://www.ama-assn.org/go/hpe-letter
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Copyright 2003, American Medical Association
Submitted By: David
Yoder |
