U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., introduced legislation in the Senate last week that aims to increase access to critical care in hospitals throughout the country by funding new demonstration projects, expanding telemedicine and recruiting at least 50 critical-care doctors per year into the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program.

Critical care doctors provide care to critically ill or injured patients who require the undivided attention of an attending physician. In 2006, the Health Resources and Services Administration estimated that 4,300 critical care doctors will be needed to meet demand throughout the country, but only 2,300 are now available.

“Access to critical care can mean the difference between life and death for many patients suffering from severe conditions,” said Whitehouse. “By identifying best practices and expanding our network of critical care physicians, we can improve America’s health and wellness, while also reducing costs.”

The legislation, the Patient-Focused Critical Care Enhancement Act, is co-sponsored by U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho. It would authorize the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to fund new demonstration projects to optimize how we provide critical care services to Medicare beneficiaries and to train critical care physicians in family-centered approaches to care delivery. It would also expand funding for critical-care telemedicine throughout rural and medically underserved areas.

“Although no one wants to be in a situation that requires a critical care physician, it is important that there be a steady supply of these important professionals,” Crapo said. “Critical care physicians work on severely ill or injured patients. We also face work force shortages throughout the entire health care industry. With such looming possibilities, it is important that Congress acts to protect patients across the country.”

Similar legislation has been introduced in Congress before, but it never won passage.