WILLIAMS CALLS FOR GREATER EMPHASIS ON WOMEN’S HEALTH

Resolution urges creation of Office on Women’s Health

RADNOR, Feb. 7, 2002 – State Sen. Constance H. Williams today called on the General Assembly to create an Office on Women’s Health.

A resolution sponsored by Williams also advocates the creation of new women’s health programs and a greater investment in existing programs.

"Women in Pennsylvania are facing a real health care crisis, which is compounded by the medical malpractice insurance standoff," said Williams (D-Montgomery/Delaware) at a news conference at Penn Health at Radnor. "Doctors who specialize in many areas of women’s health, such as obstetrics and surgery, are forced to pay the highest premiums for malpractice insurance."

Williams noted that many physicians are simply unable to practice because they can’t obtain insurance.

"Women who already face limited access to health care services are finding their options dwindling at an alarming rate," Williams said.

Williams’ resolution is a response to the release of the annual state-by-state report card on women’s health compiled by a consortium of medical and health care organizations, including the University of Pennsylvania Medical School’s FOCUS on Health & Leadership for Women.

"The good news is that Pennsylvania’s grade and rank for 2001 was an improvement over 2000," Williams said. The bad news is that Pennsylvania, with all its resources and expertise, ranked 29 of the 50 states. Our grade, which last year was an F, was a U, for ‘unsatisfactory.’"

Williams was joined at the news conference by Sen. Allyson Schwartz (D-Philadelphia); Stephanie Abbull, director of FOCUS and medical director of the emergency department at University of Pennsylvania Medical School; and Ann Honebrink, interim director of Penn Health for Women.