[Histonet] HR Bill 623

[lpwenk <@t> sbcglobal.net]

Hoping the US Histonetters can take a few minutes to help support House of
Representative Bill 623 (HR 623). It was first introduced in 2003. This
proposed bill would help to provide scholarships and loans to college
programs, who could then give it to their students who are declared lab
science majors. It would provide money for public service announcements
about laboratorians and  have additional money to help with community
shortages of lab techs. It is part of an effort to address the shortages of
techs in laboratories.

Right now, it looks like this proposed bill will not make it out of the
Health Subcommittee in 2004. ASCP is asking laboratorians to remind their
representatives that there is a need for this bill, to get this bill moving
this year.

Please take a few minutes to go to the following web site, and send an email
to your House Representative (don't worry, the computer figures out who that
is) about sponsoring this bill. It is quick - under 5 minutes if you read
everything.

(Print out this page, for the tips on what to click, though it's rather easy
to figure out without it.)

http://capwiz.com/ascpath/home/

(If you are typing this out yourself, there is no www, and all the slashes
"/" must be there, including the last one after home)

Once on that page,
- Click on "Medical Laboratory Shortage Act of 2003 - on the "click here"
part, found under ACTION ALERT.

- Type in your home zip code, then click on "Go."

- Add or delete information from the canned message. Thing you can add:
    * 80% of all doctors' decisions on who to treat a patient comes from the
laboratory
     * There is a greater than 10% shortage of histotechs for the past 4
years, which is the same as the nursing shortage
     * There are only 29 accredited histotech programs in the US. If your
state is NOT one of them, you might mention that there are no accredited
training programs in your state. (Those states WITH HT/HTL programs are: AR,
CA, CT, Washington DC, DE, FL, GA, IN, MD, MI, MN, NJ, OH, PA, TX, WI)
     * Your personal experience as to how long it took you to fill you last
opening
     * Your personal experience as to how overworked your lab is due to the
shortage, or how behind in work you are due to the shortage
     * Your personal experience as to why lab techs are important (family
member's diagnosis that depended upon the lab, for example)
     * Your personal experience on what histotechs do to help with
diagnosis, save lives, etc.

- Fill in your name, address, etc., and then click "Send Message".

Thank you for your help.

Peggy A. Wenk, HTL(ASCP)SLS
Program Director
Schools of Histotechnology
William Beaumont Hospital
Royal Oak, MI 48073