2009-08-13
ASH has objected to a
provision of the House health reform bill (HR
3200) that would require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to
evaluate graduate medical education (GME) training programs. In a letter signed by almost
80 medical specialty societies, ASH expressed concern that the bill language stipulates
that the GAO will assess faculty expertise, develop curricular requirements for training programs and evaluate the Accreditation Council for Graduate
Medical Education’s (ACGME) accreditation processes. Educational
accreditation and curriculum design in the health profession is strongly
integrated with requirements of pre-professional education, medical and other
professional education, and licensure and certification. ASH believes the
proposed intrusion of governmental entities such as the GAO is unlikely to
benefit patients and may create unintended consequences such as violating
express goals of states and certification bodies that are currently charged
with assuring the public’s health and maintaining standards of professional
practice.
Currently both the House and Senate are in
recess through Labor Day.
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