Dusty Johnson
07/24/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/24/2024 13:24
Johnson Testifies on his IHS Priorities
Washington, D.C. - Today, the House Natural Resources Committee held a hearing to discuss key provisions of U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson's (R-S.D.) bill to improve quality and delivery of patient care within the Indian Health Service (IHS).
"In South Dakota, the average age of death is 78 years old, for Native American enrolled members, it's 58 years. That's a remarkable 20-year gap," said Johnson. "One of the reasons for that is the poor quality of health care in Indian country. That's something we have trust and treaty obligations to address."
View Johnson's remarks hereor by clicking the image above.
The Restoring Accountability in the Indian Health Service Act of 2024 seeks to improve the delivery of care for Native Americans relying on IHS by promoting the recruitment and retention of staff, best practices on information-sharing, cultural awareness, and accountability.
Specifically, the hearing discussed these sections of the bill:
- Strengthening information-sharing practices between IHS and state medical boards on provider professional conduct violations.
- Establishing a tribal consultation policy with IHS.
- Establishing a system-wide uniform medical credentialing system.