Page 10 - SOUTH FLORIDA HOSPITAL NEWS MAY 2021
P. 10

Will Parental Rights Legislation                                        Returning to Preventative Health
                                                                                  Care – We’re Ready to Welcome You
           Usher in Pediatric Care Passports?
                                                                                    Over the past year, many individuals and families have
           In the haste to pass legislation to codify the                         delayed nonemergent medical care as a result of the
         rights of parents to direct all health care services                     COVID-19 pandemic. While hospitals throughout the
         offered to or provided to their children, the                            country suspended some services temporarily at the
         Florida Legislature has muddied the water for                            height of the outbreak, all – including ours at Broward
         physicians that may be called to render acute care                       Health – have been operating normally for many months
         and first aid to an injured child outside of the hos-                    with safeguards implemented to ensure the safety and
         pital setting.                                                           wellbeing of our patients and visitors. However, it’s
           House Bill 241, which passed both chambers                             becoming more and more clear that Floridians are contin-
         and is on the way to the Governor, requires par-                         uing to postpone regular medical care, and as a physician,
         ents to provide written consent before a physician                       I’m concerned.
         can offer or deliver care to their children. Comfort                       A recent study from the Robert Wood Johnson
         language had been added to the Senate version of                         Foundation (RWJF) and National Public Radio (NPR)
         the legislation that would have exempted acute                           found that among the general U.S. population who   BY ANDREW TA, MD
         care from the requirement to secure written con-  BY FRASER COBBE        reported delaying medical care (20%) due to the COVID-
         sent. Unfortunately, that language did not make                          19 pandemic, more than half experienced negative health consequences as a result.
         the final version of the legislation.                                      If you’ve been postponing medical care – whether routine or for a disease you’ve
           Clearly it was not the intent of the Legislature to erect roadblocks to prevent   been diagnosed with – now is the time to reach out to your medical provider and
         physicians from rendering urgent care to injured children. But the failure to   schedule an appointment and get up to date on any screenings, vaccinations, chronic
         include any clear exemptions in the legislation leaves physicians navigating a web   disease management or other services you have gone without this last year. The
         of statutory provisions, none of which directly addresses if and when they can   impacts of continuing to put off the care you need can be substantial, and in some
         proceed with the delivery of urgent care without written permission of a parent.    cases even devastating or catastrophic. It is not worth the risk. Your health cannot
           Imagine all the inopportune instances where kids tend to get injured beyond   wait any longer.
         the careful watch of their parents: sleepover accidents, sports injuries, adventur-  As a physician, it is natural for me to advocate for regular, preventative care for all
         ing outdoors, car accidents. Kids have an amazing knack to invent new ways to   patients, but I also understand the concerns about visiting a medical facility during a
         hurt themselves. The omission of clarity in the legislation is a missed opportunity   pandemic. Early in the pandemic, they were warranted. Today, however, they are no
         to create certainty for parents and physicians when every moment matters for an   longer valid. Your healthcare providers are ready to treat you – safely.
         injured child.                                                             Our teams at Broward Health have been working to help ensure all our facilities and
           As a community, we need to demand that certainty is restored with common   medical offices continue to be sanitary and prepared for patient visits. Providing high-
         sense language that protects the rights of parents to direct their child’s care but   quality care that’s safe for all our patients has always been our most important priority
         also frees the hands and minds of physicians to timely respond in urgent situa-  as we work every day to fulfill our mission to the community we serve.
         tions.                                                                     This alarming trend is a threat to the overall health and wellness of our community
           No one wants to see an age where an urgent care consent form is a standard   and in the entire state of Florida, which is home to a large population of seniors. In
         accessory when kids leave home.                                          fact, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, nearly a quarter of
                                                                                  Medicare beneficiaries forewent any medical care for up to six months last year. In the
                                  Fraser Cobbe, Executive Director, Dade County Medical    particular case of aging adults, the importance of routine medical care cannot be over-
                                  Association, can be reached at fcobbe@miamimed.com.   stated. Providers can only deliver world-class healthcare services to patients when
                                                                                  able to see their patients.
                                                                                    I realize during this time, many people have turned to the convenience of virtual
                                                                                  care, which has provided a great interim solution to address healthcare needs.
                                                                                  However, it cannot take the place of seeing a physician face to face. Physical visits in
                                                                                  the office are necessary to provide the highest quality of care in many specialties,
                                                                                  especially when treating the most critical and chronic conditions. I also cannot over-
                                                                                  stress the need for an annual physical with your primary care physician in preventing
                                                                                  disease and protecting your health and quality of life.
                                                                                    As we start to return to normalcy and plan reunions with the people we’ve missed,
                                                                                  I encourage you to make plans to reunite with your medical provider. I assure you,
                                                                                  they will be happy to welcome you back.

                                                                                                             Dr. Andrew Ta is Chief Medical Officer, Broward Health.




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         10                        May 2021                                                                 southfloridahospitalnews.com                                                                       South Florida Hospital News
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