Lance Says House Approved Measure Would Help Children’s Specialized Hospital in Mountainside

WASHINGTON -- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) yesterday spoke in support of legislation the House overwhelmingly approved that would address a national shortage of primary and specialty pediatric physicians.  The legislation, H.R. 1852, would reauthorize the Children’s Hospitals Graduate Medical Education program.

Earlier this year, Lance joined hospital officials, staff and residents in training at Children’s Specialized Hospital in Mountainside to discuss how the measure helps pediatric training programs by maintaining and strengthening existing hospital graduate medical education programs.

During a speech on the House floor, Lance spoke in support of the legislation:

“This legislation will assist pediatric training programs across the country by maintaining and strengthening existing hospital graduate medical education programs for children.

“Independent children’s hospitals have an indispensable role in the children’s health workforce, training 40 percent of all pediatric residents and 43 percent of pediatric specialty fellows, and providing pediatric training for many other residents. Nowhere is this more evident than at Children’s Specialized Hospital in Mountainside, New Jersey under the strong leadership of my friend Amy Mansue. The staff there do an outstanding job caring for children and training highly qualified, effective medical personnel.”

According to Amy B. Mansue, president and CEO of Children’s Specialized Hospital, the program has been a major success for hospitals, like Children’s Specialized, who utilize the program to help train and educate pediatric physicians.

“Educating future pediatric specialistsis critical to meeting the health needs of the children we serve,” said Mansue. “Congressman Lance is a champion for needs of the most vulnerable among us. He is always willing to offer his leadership and support and for that we are indebted.”

Lance, who serves on the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, said the bipartisan legislation provides a critical investment in our country’s medical future and ensuresthat children will have continuing access to the care they need across provider settings.

Nationally 56 hospitals, including Children’s Specialized Hospital, participate in the program which funds GME programs for medical school graduates, enhances hospitals’ research capabilities and improves hospitals’ ability to provide care to vulnerable and underserved children. In 2009, the national program supported the training of 5,361 resident physicians.

Click here to watch Lance’s floor speech.

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