Expressing support for the designation of February 14th as National Solidarity Day for Compassionate Patient Care to promote national awareness of the importance of compassionate and respectful relationships between health care professionals and their patients as reflected in attitudes that are sensitive to the values, autonomy, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds of patients and families.

Expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Solidarity Day for Compassionate Patient Care.

Recognizes the importance of a respectful relationship between health care professionals and their patients in promoting better health outcomes.

Encourages all health care professionals to be mindful of the importance of both being humanistic and compassionate and providing technical expertise.

[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 771 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 771

  Expressing support for the designation of February 14th as National 
   Solidarity Day for Compassionate Patient Care to promote national 
      awareness of the importance of compassionate and respectful 
 relationships between health care professionals and their patients as 
  reflected in attitudes that are sensitive to the values, autonomy, 
       cultural, and ethnic backgrounds of patients and families.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             August 2, 2012

Mr. Rothman of New Jersey submitted the following resolution; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing support for the designation of February 14th as National 
   Solidarity Day for Compassionate Patient Care to promote national 
      awareness of the importance of compassionate and respectful 
 relationships between health care professionals and their patients as 
  reflected in attitudes that are sensitive to the values, autonomy, 
       cultural, and ethnic backgrounds of patients and families.

Whereas individuals and groups of medical professionals and students stand in 
        solidarity to support compassion in health care as expressed by Dr. 
        Randall Friese, triage physician at the University of Arizona Medical 
        Center who, when queried, stated that the most important treatment he 
        provided to Congress member Gabrielle Giffords after she was shot on 
        January 8, 2011, was to hold her hand and reassure her that she was in 
        the hospital and would be cared for;
Whereas physicians, nurses, all other health care professionals, and medical 
        facilities are charged with providing both the art and science of 
        medicine;
Whereas a greater awareness of the importance of compassion in health care 
        encourages health care professionals to be mindful of the need to treat 
        the patient rather than the disease;
Whereas scientific research illustrates that when health care professionals 
        practice humanistically; demonstrating the qualities of integrity, 
        excellence, compassion, altruism, respect, empathy, and service, their 
        patients have better medical outcomes; and
Whereas February 14th would be an appropriate day to designate as National 
        Solidarity Day for Compassionate Patient Care and to celebrate it by 
        health care students and professionals performing humanistic acts of 
        compassion and kindness toward patients, families of patients, and 
        health care colleagues: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Solidarity 
        Day for Compassionate Patient Care;
            (2) recognizes the importance and value of a respectful 
        relationship between health care professionals and their 
        patients as a means of promoting better health outcomes; and
            (3) encourages all health care professionals to be mindful 
        of the importance of both--
                    (A) being humanistic and compassionate; and
                    (B) providing technical expertise.
                                 <all>