A resolution is moving through the Legislature that would direct the state Department of Health to issue a report on South Dakota’s health care workers.
resolution, recommended by a group of lawmakers who studied South Dakota’s long-term care industry last summer, passed the House Health and Human Services Committee unanimously on Thursday and was subsequently placed on the House consent calendar. That means the resolution is likely to pass the House without debate.
As South Dakota’s population ages, health care providers and lawmakers recognize the need to strengthen the health care workforce, especially nurses, to meet the increased demand for services.
Rep. Melissa Heerman, R-Brookings, who served on the summer committee, said such data would have helped her recommend legislation to help sustain South Dakota’s long-term care industry.
“After a few conversations, we just hit a wall and we just needed more information and didn’t want to make strategic decisions based on assumptions. So this is very I think it’s going to be valuable,” Heerman said.
The report provides health departments with recruitment metrics, education programs, demographic information and projections, migration data, and other information to identify patterns, gaps, and opportunities to strengthen the state’s health workforce. analysis is required.
Sen. Gene Hanhoff (R-Yankton), who passed the resolution in the Senate and chaired the summer study committee, said it would include state oversight of nurses, doctors, physical therapists, chiropractors and others. It says it will include data for every medical profession that has a committee.
Although the resolution only calls for a report to be submitted to Congress and the governor by December, Hunhof said the plan is to continue reporting annually.Report on Indiana medical industry Serves as an inspiration for South Dakota’s efforts.
The Ministry of Health will pay for this year’s report, but parliament may have to appropriate funding for it in the future, Hannhoff added.
“We are simply asking you to start collecting the appropriate data so that we have concrete data to present to you when making decisions in response to requests from healthcare providers,” Hannhoff said. Stated. “Then you’ll feel more comfortable deciding how to spend that money.”
Lobbyists representing medical institutions supported the resolution. The state Department of Health did not testify and there were no opponents.
“It would be very meaningful to have this much information,” said Tim Rabe, president and CEO of the South Dakota Association of Healthcare Providers. “By bringing all the information together in one house, he will have a very comprehensive overview of the state of affairs and challenges in this state.”
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