[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 113 (Friday, July 24, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1994-E1995]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          EARMARK DECLARATION

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. TODD RUSSELL PLATTS

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 24, 2009

  Mr. PLATTS. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership 
standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information 
regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 3293, Departments of 
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Act.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Todd Russell Platts (PA-19)
  Bill Number: H.R. 3293--Departments of Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act
  (1) York College of Pennsylvania--Facilities and Equipment--$300,000
  Account: Higher Education, FIPSE
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: York College of Pennsylvania
  Address of Requesting Entity: 441 Country Club Road, York, PA 17403
  Description of Request/Justification of Federal Funding: York College 
of Pennsylvania is a private, four-year institution of higher education 
serving over 5,600 students. This is a good use of taxpayer funds 
because York College would use this funding to expand their existing 
Nursing Department. Specifically, funds would be used to refurbish 
laboratories and purchase equipment related to the project. This is 
also a good use of taxpayer funds because York College operates one of 
the largest bachelorette nursing programs in the region. York College's 
ability to continue providing a pool of highly educated and trained 
nursing graduates helps fill the critical demand for nurses, both 
locally and nationally.
  (2) Hanover Hospital--Electronic Medical Records Initiative--$450,000
  Account: HRSA, Health Facilities and Services
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Hanover Hospital
  Address of Requesting Entity: 300 Highland Avenue, Hanover, PA 17331
  Description of Request/Justification of Federal Funding: Hanover 
Hospital would use this funding to convert all paper records at the 
hospital to an electronic medical record system. This is a good use of 
taxpayer dollars because the use of such records is proven to improve 
clinical outcomes and enables health systems to better define, measure, 
monitor, and reward quality care. Electronic medical records create 
efficiencies for patients, physicians, and the hospital.
  (3) WellSpan Health of York, PA--Purchase of Equipment--$100,000
  Account: HRSA, Health Facilities and Services
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: WellSpan Health
  Address of Requesting Entity: 912 South George Street, York, PA 17403
  Description of Request/Justification of Funding: WellSpan Health 
would use this funding to purchase a remote monitoring system for the 
York Hospital Emergency Transitional Care Unit, allowing physicians to 
monitor patients in a distant location without physically leaving the 
main Emergency Department. This is a good use of taxpayer funds because 
the remote monitoring system would create remote access using video/
audio conferencing technology so that a physician could monitor 
multiple patients at one time. In addition, while caring for a patient 
in the main emergency department, the physician could answer questions 
and communicate with patients and families who are waiting in the 
Emergency Transitional Care Unit, eliminating the constant disruption 
of walking back and forth.

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