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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 1, 2022 01:40 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Michele Brooks |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Lyme Disease Continuing Education for Health Care Providers |
| I will be re-introducing legislation to require health care practitioners to learn more about Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses as part of their continuing education. Pennsylvania continues to lead the nation in the number of confirmed cases of Lyme disease. Between 2000 and 2016, cases jumped in Pennsylvania from 2,271 to 11,443, according to the state Department of Health, accounting for approximately 40% of the nation’s cases. Because cases may be under-reported by a factor of 10, cases may be higher than 110,000, the Centers for Disease Control estimates. Cases have been found in all 67 counties in Pennsylvania, linked largely to the high population of deer and mice in our forests and fields. While many people know about the signature bulls-eye rash associated with Lyme disease, the "target" rash may not always emerge, and other symptoms of Lyme disease may initially go undetected. At a joint hearing on Lyme disease held in October 2017, many patients, physicians and other experts testified about how difficult it is to receive a proper diagnosis of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses, and to receive proper treatment, especially if symptoms persist and antibiotics are administered only on a short-term basis. In order to ensure that doctors and other medical professionals receive the latest information about Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses, along with the evolving body of research, my bill will require health care practitioners renewing a license or certification to complete a certain number of approved continuing education classes which address Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. The continuing education curriculum will be approved by the respective licensing boards, in consultation with key stakeholders. This legislation will not increase the total amount of continuing education, but will only require that part of the current requirement of continuing education hours be comprised of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illness prevention, diagnosis, management and information. As the threat of Lyme disease grows for Pennsylvanians, in terms of both prevalence and severity, this education will help health care providers gather the latest information on preventing, diagnosing and managing these diseases. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment can reduce the risks of persistent symptoms, which can be debilitating, causing chronic pain and cognitive impairment if left untreated or incorrectly diagnosed. This bill was Senate Bill 281 of last session, which was cosponsored by Senators Street, J. Ward, Gordner, Pittman, Costa, Mastriano and Kane. Please join me in cosponsoring this legislation. Thank you. |
Introduced as SB233