[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 134 (Thursday, September 22, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: September 22, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                   SUPPORT OF WOMEN'S HEALTH CENTERS

                                 ______


                   HON. MARJORIE MARGOLIES-MEZVINSKY

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 22, 1994

  Ms. MARGOLIES-MEZVINSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the 
Women's Health Regional Centers Act. The intent of this legislation is 
to address one of the greatest challenges in medicine today: the 
neglected area of women's health. For centuries, as midwives, mothers, 
nurses, and doctors, women have been the primary caregivers in their 
communities. Yet despite the crucial role of women as health care 
providers, their own health has not received the attention it deserves. 
Traditionally, medicine and health research has not focused on the fact 
that women react differently from men to many diseases and treatments. 
Until recently, women were excluded from most clinical trials of 
treatments for cancer, heart disease, and stroke, which are the leading 
causes of death in both women and men.
  This legislation will assist in the delivery of state-of-the-art 
medical care to the women of the United States by ensuring that doctors 
are trained during medical school to diagnose and treat diseases 
prevalent among women and other medical conditions as they affect 
women. A major barrier to change in women's health care delivery 
systems has been the absence of an appropriate curriculum on women's 
health in teaching the physicians, nurses, and other health 
professionals of today and tomorrow. New models of providing clinical 
care are needed to give women comprehensive, accessible health care 
that takes into consideration their socioeconomic as well as medical 
needs. New information from medical research must be rapidly translated 
into educational programs and improved health care. New programs for 
identifying and fostering women leaders in the health profession need 
to be developed.
  This legislation will address these critically important areas of 
women's health with an emphasis on providing leadership training for 
women in medical school. Currently, fewer than 2 percent of the deans 
of American medical schools are women. I believe that if women had been 
better represented in leadership positions in medicine, many of the 
traditional problems of inadequate research and insufficient clinical 
care for women would never have developed.
  Our goal through our legislation is to ensure that future generations 
of American physicians receive their medical training from institutions 
led by a greater number of women deans and department chairs. This 
single provision will ensure that women's health concerns are addressed 
in the future.
  As I reflect on the status of quality health care to women in the 
1990's, I can point with pride to the Medical College of Pennsylvania 
[MCP] in my own district, which is the first and the longest surviving 
medical school devoted to the education of female physicians. Founded 
in 1850 as the ``Female Medical College of Pennsylvania,'' MCP remains 
deeply committed to its roots as a pioneer in educating women in the 
medical profession and fostering critically needed education in those 
areas effecting women's health. MCP is the first medical school in the 
country to have undertaken women's health education at the 
undergraduate, graduate, and faculty levels.
  The establishment of regional women's health centers is a significant 
step forward in correcting the imbalance that is inherent in every 
aspect of medical care today. I am pleased that this legislation will 
develop model demonstration programs which will focus on the 
coordination of research and the provision of education and training, 
and services in women's health.
  Under my proposal, the Office of Research on Women's Health at the 
National Institutes of Health [NIH] will designate five institutions 
across the country as regional centers on women's health. By locating 
these centers in every major region of the United States, NIH will 
ensure that young doctors from all over the country will learn about 
the special health needs of women and girls. In addition, these 
regional centers will share their information with both these centers 
and the NIH clearinghouse. My goal is to disseminate research and 
medical training as widely as possible so that women all over America 
can benefit from advances in medical care.
  It is fitting today, as we continue the debate on health care reform, 
that I introduce legislation geared to unifying research, clinical 
care, and medical initiatives for women. It is essential that Congress 
recognizes and includes funding for the adequate health care services 
of women as well as improving programs on women's health in the 
teaching of health professionals. The legislation will help to promote 
basic research for diseases unique to women, as well as providing 
effective health care delivery systems for women.
  In summary, Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to highlight 
this critical issue.

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