DOVER, DE- Delaware's leading health advocates have introduced their first-ever joint advocacy agenda aimed at strengthening healthcare in the state.
On Thursday, five major healthcare organizations—the Delaware Healthcare Association, Delaware Nurses Association, Medical Society of Delaware, Delaware Association for Home and Community Care, and Delaware Health Care Facilities Association—announced their eight-point plan outside Legislative Hall.
The plan addresses several key healthcare priorities: health workforce development, reimbursement rates, prior authorization reform, public health and emergency preparedness, workplace violence, removing healthcare barriers, transitions of care, and affordable housing.
Brian Frazee of the Delaware Healthcare Association emphasized the importance of this initiative.
"We have a lot of work to do to make sure that we make the First State first in health, which is a shared goal that we have."
Frazee stressed that the strategy is designed to tackle a broad range of concerns affecting the state's healthcare system.
"It's everything that ranges from protecting our workforce from workplace violence to insurance reforms, prior authorization reform, emergency preparedness, and also supporting our workforce."
With Delaware ranking as the sixth oldest and eighth fastest-growing population in the nation, healthcare leaders say the plan is crucial to ensuring care for its aging population.
Rep. Valerie Jones Giltner (R-District 37) highlighted the need for both short-term and long-term solutions to address the growing stress on Delaware's healthcare system.
"As far as the patients, the population has grown and is just putting a stress on our healthcare system. So the healthcare workforce is a primary focus."
Lieutenant Governor Kyle Evans Gay said their push for improved healthcare is gaining momentum, motivated in part by uncertainty at the federal level.
"We face extreme uncertainty at the federal level, which will lead and has led to uncertainty here at home."
Despite the challenges, Gay stressed Delaware's commitment to strengthening its healthcare system.
"We will not be deterred. We will focus on what matters—and that is the people of our great state. When we have a healthcare system that works for all of us, we all do better."
Healthcare leaders say they are hopeful this plan will drive meaningful change across the state.