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Health Professions E-Letter, 4/2004
1. Workforce, advocacy issues discussed
at HPN Meeting
2. Allied Health Reinvestment Act
introduced in House
3. Read my lips: No new programs
(only bigger ones)?
4. 2004 survey of health professionals
programs coming in April
5. Fast Facts: Health care IT spending
up nearly 10% in 2003
6. Media Messages: Health care hot
field for job-seekers
7. "My First Day" tells
future health care workers what to expect
8. Tobacco still #1, but fat is
rising to top of most-deadly list
9. UNC to become regional center
for health workforce research
10. Log on now to health care workforce
study
11. National Medical Laboratory
Week: Ready, set, celebrate!
12. Celebrate privacy, security of personal health data this
April
13. New occupational therapy Web site promotes the profession
14. Recreational therapist to address "Healthier US"
meeting
15. Scope of practice, role delineation being set for radiologist
assistants
REMINDER: Order your copy of the Health Professions Career
and Education Directory online at:
http://unity.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1064.3.197721
1. Workforce, advocacy issues
discussed at HPN Meeting
The 60 presenters and attendees at the recent Health Professions
Network (HPN) meeting in Houston shared information and ideas
about addressing the many issues facing the allied health
community, including ongoing workforce shortages, lack of
diversity, and the need for increased federal support for
all sectors of allied health.
Speakers included representatives of the US Department of
Labor, the Council on Licensure, Enforcement, and Regulation,
and Advance magazine.
The HPN comprises a group of representatives from health
professional associations interested in interdisciplinary
communication, discussion, and collaboration.
The Network's next meeting is scheduled for September 30
– October 3 in Salt Lake City. For more information, see:
http://unity.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1064.4.197721
2. Allied Health Reinvestment Act introduced
in House
The Allied Health Professions Reinvestment Act of 2004 has
been introduced in the US House of Representatives
as HR 4016. To view the bill go to http://unity.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1064.5.197721
and type in "HR 4016" in the Bill Number search
box.
Many leading professional associations have endorsed the
legislation, including the American Association for
Respiratory Care, American Dietetic Association, and National
Athletic Trainers’ Association.
To learn more or to have your association endorse the legislation,
contact Thomas W. Elwood, Dr PH, Executive
Director, Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions,
at Thomas@asahp.org.
3. Read my lips: No new programs (only
bigger ones)?
"Since program closures are often forced by the exigencies
of larger institutional budget constraints (small programs
are frequently targeted first), it could well be argued that
the opening of new programs in cytotechnology should be pursued
with greater caution than has been the cast in the past, with
the expansion of existing programs considered prior to the
creation of entirely new programs.
"Also, with the graying of faculty a phenomenon that
will only grow, a strategy that emphasizes fewer, larger programs
may allow for the higher wages that will be necessary to recruit
new faculty in the future."
- Workforce analyst Michael J. Dill of the University of
Albany, from his presentation at the American Society of
Cytopathology’s Annual Scientific Meeting in November
4. 2004 survey of health professionals
programs coming in April
The 2004 version of the Annual Survey of Health Professions
Education Programs will be available this month. This survey
will collect data for the 2003-2004 academic year.
Watch your e-mail inbox in April for login ID, password,
and completion instructions.
The survey will be available at: http://unity.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1064.6.197721
5. Fast Facts: Health care IT spending
up nearly 10% in 2003
The healthcare information technology market in 2003 is
forecast to grow at a rate of 9.3% to $23.6 billion, compared
to $21.6 billion spent in 2002.
Source: Sheldon I. Dorenfest & Associates, Ltd; to read
more (Adobe Acrobat Reader required), see:
http://unity.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1064.7.197721
6. Media Messages:
Health care hot field for job-seekers
A recent article posted on the MSN Money Web site ("The
hottest -- and best-paying -- careers") states that health
care is the place to find a job, with eight of the top 10
fastest growing professions, according to the US Bureau of
Labor Statistics.
In particular, the article covers medical assisting and physician
assisting in some detail. To read more, see:
http://unity.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1064.8.197721
Physician assisting as a career was also the subject of an
article in the March 16 Newark Star-Ledger ("Employment
opportunities ripe for physician assistants"). State
law did not allow PAs to work in New Jersey until
1992; today there are 751 practicing PAs in the state. To
read more, see:
http://unity.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1064.9.197721
7. "My First Day" tells future
health care workers what to expect
To make young people aware of the many opportunities in the
field, the Minnesota Hospital Association, representing the
state’s 139 nonprofit hospitals and 19 health systems, has
created a Web site to give high school students a look at
health care careers. See: http://unity.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1064.10.197721
8. Tobacco still #1, but fat
is rising to top of most-deadly list
A study published in JAMA shows that obesity-related deaths
rose by 33% over the 1990s and obesity may soon
overtake tobacco as a leading preventable cause of death in
the United States.
Conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
the study tabulated the top killers in the US, as follows:
- Tobacco 435,000
- Poor diet and physical inactivity 400,000
- Alcohol consumption 85,000
- Microbes 75,000
- Pollution and other toxins 75,000
- Motor vehicles 43,000
- Firearms 29,000
- Sexual behavior 20,000
- Illicit drug use 17,000
Total 1,159,000
"Actual Causes of Death in the United States, 2000"
Ali H. Mokdad; James S. Marks; Donna F. Stroup; Julie L. Gerberding
JAMA. 2004;291:1238-1245
Abstract: http://unity.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1064.11.197721
The AMA Working Group on Managing Childhood Obesity is working
to address this issue. To read more, see:
http://unity.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1064.12.197721
9. UNC to become regional center
for health workforce research
The Health Resources and Services Administration's Bureau
of Health Professions has awarded the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill a cooperative agreement to become
the Southeast Regional Center for Health Workforce Studies.
The agreement will provide $1.08 million to UNC's Cecil G.
Sheps Center for Health Services Research over 3 years to
fund a variety of research projects.
With the award, the Sheps Center becomes the sixth health
workforce studies group in the US. Similar facilities are
located at the universities of California at San Francisco,
Illinois at Chicago, New York at Albany, Texas at San
Antonio, and Washington at Seattle. To read more, see:
http://unity.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1064.13.197721
10. Log on now to health care
workforce study
Healthcare @Work® 2004 is a national survey (held through
April 30) that provides a picture of how employees view their
current work and workplace. The findings will help health
care organizations attract, develop, and retain
employees.
The survey is cosponsored by the American Society for Healthcare
Human Resources Administration (ASHHRA) of the American Hospital
Association and Aon Consulting's Loyalty Institute.
The survey takes 10-15 minutes to complete. To complete the
survey, see:
http://unity.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1064.14.197721
11. National Medical Laboratory
Week: Ready, set, celebrate!
Lab Week will be held April 18-24, with the theme "Laboratory
Professionals: Working with You for Better
Health." To read more, see: http://unity.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1064.15.197721
12. Celebrate privacy, security
of personal health data this April
National Health Information Privacy and Security Week, April
11-17, is designed to raise awareness among health
professionals, their employers, and the public of the importance
of protecting the privacy, confidentiality,
and security of personal health information.
The event is sponsored by the American Health Information
Management Association (AHIMA). To read more, see:
http://unity.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1064.16.197721
13. New occupational therapy
Web site promotes the profession
To help expand the visibility of occupational therapy, the
American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) has
launched a new public awareness site: http://unity.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1064.17.197721
The site provides key occupational therapy information for
the public, members of the profession, and potential
corporate partners and consumers of occupational therapy.
"AOTA recognizes that our members are some of the profession's
best advocates, says Barbara Kornblau, OTR/L,
FAOTA. "This site was designed with members in mind --
to be an important tool for researchers, practitioners,
educators, and scientists alike to better promote our efforts
to key audiences."
The Web site’s launch is a precursor to AOTA’s Occupational
Therapy Month, a month-long celebration in April.
14. Recreational therapist
to address "Healthier US" meeting
Carmen Russoniello, PhD, CTRS has been invited to present
at the 2nd National Steps to a Healthier US Summit,
April 29–30, in Baltimore, MD.
His abstract, "The Use of Recreational Activity to Promote
Health and Prevent Disease," has been accepted for oral
presentation.
Dr. Russoniello‘s session will highlight his research into
the benefits of recreational activity in preventing and/or
reducing alcohol abuse and alcoholism, childhood obesity,
and childhood posttraumatic stress disorder.
Russoniello is a member and past president of the American
Therapeutic Recreation Association.
15. Scope of practice, role
delineation being set for radiologist assistants
Findings from a January 2004 survey of radiologists and radiologist
practitioner assistants (RPAs) are being
incorporated into the scope of practice and role delineation
for the radiologist assistant (RA) certification program of
the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists.
The document will be released for public comment later this
spring. To read more, see:
http://unity.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1064.18.197721
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://unity.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.963.1.197721
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Copyright 2003, American Medical Association
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