AAMC President and CEO David J. Skorton, MD, and AAMC Chief Public Policy Officer Danielle Turnipseed, JD, MHSA, MPP, issued the following statement ahead of the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing on legislative proposals to expand the health workforce:
“Strengthening the health care workforce is a top priority for the AAMC. We strongly support committee action to reauthorize all of the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Title VII health professions and the Title VIII nursing workforce development programs. These critical programs ensure the country can support training for physicians, nurses, mental and behavioral health professionals, public health practitioners, and other providers — many of whom go on to serve in rural and other medically underserved communities.
Reauthorizing Title VII and Title VIII programs is critical to recruiting, training, and retaining the next generation of health care professionals who are prepared to meet the needs of the American people. Legislation that makes meaningful investments in the health care workforce is especially critical at a time when the U.S. faces significant provider shortages, burnout, and widening gaps in health outcomes.
The AAMC strongly urges lawmakers to reaffirm the federal government’s commitment to making America healthy by building a health care workforce capable of meeting the evolving health needs of patients and communities nationwide by reauthorizing all Title VII and Title VIII programs.”