Supporting the goals and ideals of National Hospital Week, to be observed from May 12 through May 18, 2024.

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Hospital Week, to be observed from May 12 through May 18, 2024. Whereas, beginning in 1921, National Hospital Day was established by former President Warren G. Harding to be celebrated annually on May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, as a way to honor her role in revolutionizing hospital care; Whereas National Hospital Day was established following the Spanish Flu Outbreak of 1918 as a way to build community trust in hospitals; Whereas, beginning in 1953, National Hospital Week was established and continues to coincide with the birthday of Florence Nightingale; Whereas National Hospital Week is a time of year to reflect on the important contributions that hospitals make to provide safe, high-quality health care; Whereas, in 2024, approximately 6,120 hospitals in the United States provide essential and life-saving health care every day in a variety of hospitals settings, including (1) 1,368 critical access hospitals, which serve as important health care hubs by bringing essential medical services closer to individuals who would otherwise have to travel long distances for health care, provide health care to 1/5 (2) nearly 1,700 teaching hospitals, of which roughly 300 are major teaching hospitals, such as university hospitals or academic medical centers, that provide essential training to future medical providers; (3) 659 non-Federal psychiatric hospitals that are essential partners in addressing mental health and substance abuse disorders across the United States; and (4) 172 Veterans Affairs medical centers that are uniquely responsible for providing health care to more than 9,000,000 veterans; Whereas, in 2023, hospitals in the United States provided health care to more than 33,000,000 admitted patients, provided emergency care to nearly 137,000,000 patients, and delivered more than 3,500,000 babies; Whereas, in 2024, hospitals employed more than 5,486,000 individuals, including physicians, registered nurses, and allied health professionals; Whereas 45 percent of individuals employed by hospitals are non-clinical staff, including sanitation workers, food service workers, and many others, who work to keep hospitals open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in order to ensure hospitals are always available to individuals that need health care; Whereas hospitals, through direct care and community outreach, can provide the expertise and resources needed to address the unique health care needs that exist in rural and urban areas of the United States; and Whereas hospitals work collaboratively to uphold the health care system of the United States: Now, therefore, be it That the Senate (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Hospital Week, to be observed from May 12 through May 18, 2024; (2) recognizes the significant role that hospitals play in the delivery of health care in the United States; and (3) encourages the people of the United States to observe National Hospital Week with appropriate recognition, ceremonies, activities, and programs to demonstrate the importance of hospitals to the everyday lives of patients and communities.

Summary: This resolution supports the observation of National Hospital Week from May 12, 2024, through May 18, 2024.