S.Res. 21 — Introduced in Senate

III 113th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 21 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 30, 2013 Mr. Lautenberg submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary RESOLUTION Designating February 14, 2013, as National Solidarity Day for Compassionate Patient Care. Whereas the National Solidarity Day for Compassionate Patient Care promotes national awareness of the importance of compassionate and respectful relationships between health care professionals and their patients as reflected in attitudes that are sensitive to the values, autonomy, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds of patients and families; Whereas individuals and groups of medical professionals and students stand in solidarity to support compassion in health care as expressed by Dr. Randall Friese, triage physician at the University of Arizona Medical Center who, when queried, stated that the most important treatment he provided to Congress member Gabrielle Giffords after she was shot on January 8, 2011, was to hold her hand and reassure her that she was in the hospital and would be cared for; Whereas physicians, nurses, all other health care professionals, and medical facilities are charged with providing both the art and science of medicine; Whereas a greater awareness of the importance of compassion in health care encourages health care professionals to be mindful of the need to treat the patient rather than the disease; Whereas scientific research illustrates that when health care professionals practice humanistically; demonstrating the qualities of integrity, excellence, compassion, altruism, respect, empathy, and service, their patients have better medical outcomes; and Whereas February 14th would be an appropriate day to designate as National Solidarity Day for Compassionate Patient Care and to celebrate it by health care students and professionals performing humanistic acts of compassion and kindness toward patients, families of patients, and health care colleagues: Now, therefore, be it That the Senate— (1) designates February 14, 2013, as National Solidarity Day for Compassionate Patient Care; (2) recognizes the importance and value of a respectful relationship between health care professionals and their patients as a means of promoting better health outcomes; and (3) encourages all health care professionals to be mindful of the importance of both— (A) being humanistic and compassionate; and (B) providing technical expertise.