Item provided by Rep. Robin Kelly
Today, local Congresswoman Robin Kelly (D-IL), Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust, and Congressman Troy Balderson (R-OH) announced the establishment of a Congressional Digital Health Caucus. The Caucus aims to inform policymakers of the rapid advancements in digital health innovation, highlight the potential impacts on patients and the healthcare system, and ensure that all Americans benefit from the transformative power of digital health tools.
The Digital Health Caucus, composed of a bipartisan group of lawmakers, will serve as a platform for dialogue and collaboration among experts from government, the private sector, and the healthcare industry. By fostering partnerships and driving informed discussions, the Caucus seeks to shape policies that support the integration of cutting-edge digital health technologies into the healthcare landscape.
Key Objectives of the Congressional Digital Health Caucus:
1. Informing Policymakers: The Caucus will play a crucial role in educating policymakers about the latest developments in digital health, providing insights into the potential benefits for patients, healthcare providers, and the broader healthcare system.
2. Ensuring Accessibility for All Americans: Recognizing the importance of equitable access, the Caucus will work to ensure that digital health tools are accessible to all Americans, irrespective of socio-economic status or geographical location.
3. Promoting Collaboration: The Caucus will serve as a hub for collaboration between government agencies, private sector innovators, and healthcare professionals. By fostering partnerships, the Caucus aims to accelerate the development and adoption of digital health solutions.
4. Addressing Regulatory Challenges: Digital health innovation often outpaces existing regulatory frameworks. The Caucus will advocate for policies that strike a balance between fostering innovation and ensuring patient safety and data security.
5. Advancing Research and Development: The Caucus will work to advance research and development in the digital health space, encouraging innovation that improves patient outcomes and healthcare efficiency.
“As lawmakers, we must foster innovation in health care and ensure accessibility and affordability for patients,” said Balderson. “Thanks to rapid advancements in health care technology, we can achieve all three. Congresswoman Robin Kelly and I are excited to launch the Digital Health Caucus, which will bring together Members of Congress who are passionate about improving health care outcomes and making health systems more efficient. Quality health care has too often been isolated to areas around bigger cities, limiting access for rural Americans. Digital health care can finally close the urban-rural divide and make quality care available to all, regardless of zip code.”
“I’d like to thank Representatives Balderson and Kelly for their leadership in forming the Congressional Digital Health Caucus. We know getting things done on the Hill isn’t always easy. But this is a bipartisan priority, and the Digital Health Caucus will address issues we should all get behind: helping Americans access and afford quality health care – and helping the American tech companies and other innovators leading the way in this space. That means public policies that support health innovation,” said Gary Shapiro, President and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association.
