Portman, Baldwin introduce Critical Care Assessment and Improvement Act

Seeking to improve the outcomes for patients who receive intensive care treatment in the U.S. health care system, Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) introduced the Critical Care Assessment and Improvement Act of 2014 on Thursday.

The bipartisan legislation aims to increase federal policy related to the oversight of the preparedness of the country’s critical care systems, research, workforce, delivery of care and infrastructure. 

“Lack of coordination on a national critical care strategy may jeopardize the nation’s ability to effectively and efficiently care for the growing elderly population or the seriously ill,” Portman said. “I’m pleased to introduce this commonsense legislation that will help ensure our health system is ready to treat those patients who are in need of extraordinary care.”

Portman and Baldwin said in a joint release that almost 80 percent of Americans will experience a critical care injury or illness during their life and that intensive care costs are roughly $121 billion, or 17 percent of all hospital costs.

The act calls for evaluation of the critical care system by the non-profit, non-governmental Institute of Medicine to ensure federal resources are maximized and to develop recommendations to improve capabilities. The evaluations would also include measurements to ensure the system is prepared for future health emergencies.