Society Applauds the Senate Approval of 2011 AF Resolution
On July 29, 2011 Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) introduced S. Res. 243 (PDF, 160K), a U.S. Senate resolution promoting increased awareness, diagnosis, and treatment of atrial fibrillation to address the high morbidity and mortality rates and to prevent avoidable hospitalizations associated with the disease. On the same day, the Senate passed the S. Res. 243 by unanimous consent.
"The Heart Rhythm Society applauds the recent adoption of the Atrial Fibrillation (AF) Resolution by the Senate. The AF Resolution will help to raise public awareness of AF by enhancing the quality of care and patient safety, advancing research and education, and improving access to appropriate medical treatment for patients suffering from AF," said Bruce L. Wilkoff, MD, FHRS, President of the Heart Rhythm Society. "The Heart Rhythm Society will continue working in these areas through our AF Awareness Campaign, which we are using to foster greater communication between patients and caregivers."
Sen. Robert P. Casey (D-PA), Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Sen. Patrick Toomey (R-PA) and Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI) co-sponsored the Senate resolution. S. Res. 243 is the companion bill to H. Res. 295, introduced by Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX), Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) and Rep. Charles Gonzalez (D-TX) in the U.S. House of Representatives in early June.
In the Resolution, Promoting increased awareness, diagnosis, and treatment of atrial fibrillation to address the high morbidity and mortality rates and to prevent avoidable hospitalizations associated with the disease, the Senate indicated that the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services should work with leaders in the medical community to explore ways to improve medical research, screening and prevention methods, and surveillance efforts in order to prevent and appropriately manage atrial fibrillation, including by:
- advancing the development of process and outcome measures for the management of atrial fibrillation by national developers
- facilitating the adoption of evidence-based guidelines by the medical community to improve patient outcomes
- advancing atrial fibrillation research and education, by
- encouraging basic science research to determine the causes and optimal treatments for atrial fibrillation
- exploring development of screening tools and protocols to determine the risk of developing atrial fibrillation
- enhancing current surveillance and tracking systems to include atrial fibrillation
- improving access to appropriate medical care for patients suffering from atrial fibrillation by encouraging education programs that promote collaboration among the Federal health agencies and that increase public and clinician awareness of atrial fibrillation, including risk assessment, screening, treatment, and appropriate clinical management
In addition to the Heart Rhythm Society, many organizations supported the AF resolution, including the Alliance for Aging Research; American Academy of Neurology; American College of Cardiology; American Heart Association; American Osteopathic Association; Association of Black Cardiologists, Inc.; Mended Hearts; National Blood Clot Alliance; National Council of Women's Organizations; National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention; National Stroke Association; Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association; Sister to Sister Foundation; Society for Women's Health Research; StopAfib.org; The Women's Heart Health Foundation and WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease.
Additional Society Advocacy
Earlier this year the Society organized its first Congressional "Fly-In" in Washington DC. Fourteen members of the Society's Health Policy leadership team traveled to Capitol Hill on March 16-17, 2011 to discuss, and advocate for, priority legislative issues relevant to heart rhythm care with members of Congress, including AF. The Society asked Congress to help it and its partner organizations educate more patients and physicians about the disorder; diagnose AF earlier, including in patients who find it hard to articulate what they are experiencing; and accelerate treatment to end unnecessary suffering.
Visit the Society's Health Policy section of the website to learn more about recent congressional action on AF prevention and awareness.
