H.R. No. 901
R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, Health care concerns are currently at the forefront
1-2 of the American agenda, and one of the most serious problems facing
1-3 Texas in this regard is a shortage of primary care physicians; and
1-4 WHEREAS, Primary care physicians provide a high level of
1-5 medical care at a low cost because they are able to diagnose and
1-6 treat a wide variety of conditions; these doctors are invaluable in
1-7 providing preventive care such as inoculations, nutritional
1-8 guidance, prenatal and postnatal care, and blood pressure
1-9 screenings, thus averting health care crises that could be
1-10 extremely costly to treat; and
1-11 WHEREAS, By diagnosing illnesses and diseases in their
1-12 earliest stages, they are able to implement treatment programs
1-13 immediately and contain the spread of infectious diseases; in doing
1-14 so, these dedicated men and women are protecting the health and
1-15 safety of entire communities; and
1-16 WHEREAS, Unfortunately, there is a critical shortage of
1-17 primary care physicians in both urban and rural areas of the state,
1-18 and millions of Texans are forced to do without even the most basic
1-19 health care services; in many instances, individuals must wait
1-20 until an illness or injury requires hospitalization before they
1-21 receive medical attention, and emergency rooms in many areas are
1-22 flooded with patients whose health problems could have been treated
1-23 earlier and more effectively by a family doctor; and
2-1 WHEREAS, Texans are paying a heavy price for this severe
2-2 shortage of general health care providers, and the worst effect is
2-3 the needless pain and suffering experienced by countless
2-4 individuals; until this situation is rectified, the people of this
2-5 state will continue to bear the burden of high health care costs,
2-6 lost productivity, and infectious disease epidemics; and
2-7 WHEREAS, Texas is home to many of the finest hospitals,
2-8 research centers, and medical schools in the world, but our most
2-9 immediate, critical health care need is for general primary care
2-10 physicians to serve in the numerous areas that are without medical
2-11 care; by appealing to the many bright, young minds currently in
2-12 medical school and by recruiting more practicing doctors to fill
2-13 this need, we can avert a more serious crisis and raise the
2-14 standard of health care for all Texans; now, therefore, be it
2-15 RESOLVED, That the 73rd Legislature of the State of Texas
2-16 hereby request state-funded medical schools and health science
2-17 centers, the Texas Department of Health, the Center for Rural
2-18 Health Initiatives, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board,
2-19 the Texas Academy of Family Physicians, Texas Pediatric Society,
2-20 Texas Society of Internal Medicine, and the Texas Medical
2-21 Association to heighten public awareness of the continuing need for
2-22 primary care physicians; and, be it further
2-23 RESOLVED, That the year 1994 be declared the Year of the
2-24 Primary Care Physicians, so that this state may draw attention to
2-25 this vital aspect of Texas health care and focus on alleviating
3-1 this tremendous shortage before the year 2000.
3-2 this tremendous shortage before the year 2000.
3-3 Berlanga
3-4 H.R. No. 901
3-5 _______________________________
3-6 Speaker of the House
3-7 I certify that H.R. No. 901 was adopted by the House on May
3-8 31, 1993, by a non-record vote.
3-9 _______________________________
3-10 Chief Clerk of the House