Florida lawmakers propose 'Live Healthy' package to revive healthcare industry
TAMPA, Fla. - The healthcare industry took a big hit during the COVID-19 pandemic – never fully recovering. But, a new package of bills in Tallahassee hopes to help remedy those challenges.
Two bills, SPB 7016 and SPB 7018, were filed Friday as part of the proposed "Live Healthy" legislative package announced by the state senate president and other senators. Included in the nearly $900 million plan are creative loan repayment options to drive workers to underserved areas, more residency slots to attract and keep people, and removing barriers for out-of-state and foreign-trained physicians.
"They will have to be competent physicians trained to the level of physicians in the state of Florida. They will have had to pass their national boards, and they will be essentially ready to practice medicine in Florida," State Sen. Gayle Harrell, R-Martin County.
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The fast growth that Florida’s seeing has shown up beyond the extra traffic and construction into hospitals.
"We've definitely seen in my particular area, in our emergency departments. Our visits are up 4% from last year already," said Dr. Victoria Selley, MS, DO, FACOEP, the vice president and chief medical officer at AdventHealth Sebring, Lake Placid and Wauchula.
Dr. Selley said the healthcare industry needs more help to handle the challenges that come with more patients.
"It impacts patient care in a few ways. Number one, I'm in a more rural area, so we're looking to meet patients’ needs in both the emergency departments, but in outpatient areas like primary care," said Selley. "It also means that we need to continue to recruit to our areas as well for health care providers, not just physician, but nursing and other health care specialties as well."
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With so many more people to care for, efficient care matters. So, the proposal includes streamlining who shows up to emergency rooms.
"If you show up with a gunshot wound, you’re going in the ER, you’re going in the emergency room, but if you show up with a head cold or something there’s nowhere to go, if there’s a clinic right there staffed with nurse practitioners and other healthcare providers that makes more sense," said Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Collier and Hendry counties.
For Dr. Selley, there’s more she would like to see change.
"I think just more language and more conversations around mental health access for patients would be a great topic to look at for the upcoming year," said Selley. "It is imperative for us to be at the table for sure and be involved."
The Live Healthy proposal would also create a "health care innovation council" to oversee innovation and help push Florida’s healthcare industry forward.
More bills will be filed related to this package, and the Florida Senate Committee on Health Policy will hear the two bills filed Friday during a meeting on Tuesday.