Emergency Physicians and Emergency Nurses Need More Resources to Fight Coronavirus

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- America's emergency care teams—which serve on the frontlines of any pandemic response—have urged Congress to approve emergency supplemental appropriations to ensure our health system has the resources necessary to address an outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the U.S.

"More can and should be done to minimize the risk of coronavirus in the United States," said William Jaquis, MD, FACEP, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). "It is critical that we empower our nation's emergency care teams and public health experts to protect millions of people and respond quickly and effectively to this virus."    

In a letter sent this week to the House Appropriations Committee, ACEP and the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) request an increase in funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and Global Affairs. Additional resources would greatly improve hospital preparedness, public health emergency preparedness, research and development of medical treatments and public awareness.

"As the safety net for our communities, emergency departments across the country are filled with patients who have nowhere else to go for their health care needs. The emergence of novel coronavirus as a possible pandemic, amid an already challenging flu season, serves as a reminder that we must ensure our health communities – first responders, public health departments and hospitals – have the necessary resources to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to provide the best possible care to all patients," said ENA President Mike Hastings, MSN, RN, CEN.

You read the full letter to Congress here.

The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) is the national medical society representing emergency medicine. Through continuing education, research, public education and advocacy, ACEP advances emergency care on behalf of its 40,000 emergency physician members, and the more than 150 million Americans they treat on an annual basis. For more information, visit www.acep.org and www.emergencyphysicians.org.

The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) is the premier professional nursing association dedicated to defining the future of emergency nursing through advocacy, education, research, innovation, and leadership. Founded in 1970, ENA has proven to be an indispensable resource to the global emergency nursing community. With more than 44,000 members worldwide, ENA advocates for patient safety, develops industry-leading practice standards and guidelines, and guides emergency health care public policy. ENA members have expertise in triage, patient care, disaster preparedness, and all aspects of emergency care. Additional information is available at www.ena.org.

SOURCE American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP)

Related Links

www.acep.org