ACP Policy Calls for Increased Efforts in Women's Health Issues Save

The American College of Physicians have published a position paper in Annals of Internal Medicine calling for an examination of the challenges facing women in the U.S. health, including access to care; sex- and gender-specific health issues; variation in health outcomes compared with men; underrepresentation in research studies; and public policies that affect women, their families, and society. (Citation source: bit.ly/2wYH0qu)

The paper touches on paid family and medical leave, domestic violence, sexual abuse and harassment, and participation in clinical trials. The paper also addresses access to coverage for reproductive health services.

The ACP puts forward several recommendations focused on policies that will improve the health outcomes of women.

ACP Positions and Recommendations (exerpted)

1. ACP believes that internists are well-suited to provide high-quality women's health care and that clinicians who care for women should receive appropriate training in wlomens health issues.
2. It is essential for women to have access to affordable, comprehensive, nondiscriminatory public or private health care coverage.
3. ACP believes in respect for the principle of patient autonomy on matters affecting patients' individual health and reproductive decision-making rights.
4. ACP opposes legislation or regulations that limit access to comprehensive reproductive health care.
5. ACP supports the goal of universal access to family and medical leave policies.
6. ACP supports increased patient education and increased availability of effective screening tools for physicians or health care professionals treating survivors of intimate partner or sexual violence.
7. ACP supports efforts to improve the representation of women's health in clinical research and close knowledge gaps related to specific women's health issues.

The paper points our that maternal mortality has risen dramatically over the last four decades in the U.S. but not in other comparrable nations.