On July 23 the House passed H.R. 3728, the Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness (EMPOWER) Act of 2018. The legislation reauthorizes federal health professions workforce programs, including education and training in geriatrics.
The bill continues the program under which health professions schools can receive grants to establish and operate geriatrics workforce enhancement programs (GWEPs). These programs integrate geriatrics with primary care training and education and seek to maximize family and patient engagement. The programās goal is to educate primary healthcare providers on the special needs of older patients and encourages collaboration with other community partners to ensure older people receive essential services.
The South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations and LeadingAge will continue to support and monitor progress on this legislation as it moves to the Senate.
