09/27/2022
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Christina Crooks Bryan
Delaware Healthcare Association
Mobile: (302) 245-1638
christina@deha.org
Delaware Healthcare Association Names State Representative Bill Bush as Legislator of the Year
(DOVER, DE – September 27, 2022) The Delaware Healthcare Association today awarded State Representative Bill Bush with the organization’s 2022 Legislator of the Year award. Representative Bush was the sponsor of two bills that were legislative priorities of the association and its hospital members: HB 324 protecting health care workers from violence and HB 279 requiring certification of central service technicians.
“Representative Bill Bush is a stalwart friend of healthcare in Delaware,” said Wayne A. Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Delaware Healthcare Association. “His efforts to ensure that every Delawarean’s good health is supported by a robust and accessible system of health care are a credit to his public spiritedness.”
“Our members are pleased to recognize his work in pursuit of the goal of enabling every Delawarean to be as healthy as they can be,” Smith continued. “Representative Bush worked tirelessly to achieve passage of legislation deterring violence against health care workers – a Delaware Healthcare Association priority. We are grateful for his commitment to good health for Delawareans and his willingness to work with Delaware hospitals, health care workers, and all we serve.”
In 2022, Representative Bush sponsored the following DHA advocacy priority legislation:
- House Bill 324, signed by Governor Carney on June 30th, would consider causing intentional injury against any person providing health care treatment or employed by a health care provider is considered assault in the second degree -- a felony offense. Prior to HB 324’s passage, a felony offense would only apply if the injury was inflicted on certain health care providers such as doctors, nurses and EMTs, and not for other health care workers that come in close contact with patients and their families and who are assaulted. This legislation ensures that violence against all health care workers is treated equally under the law.
- House Bill 279, awaiting the Governor’s signature, requires individuals who perform the tasks of a central service technician to pass a nationally accredited examination and to hold either a certified registered central service technician credential or certified sterile processing and distribution technician credential within 18 months of hire. Central service technicians, also known as sterile processing technicians, make sure that equipment used in medical and surgical procedures are properly cleaned, inspected, sterilized, stored and ready when needed. Requiring certification of central service technicians will ensure these professionals are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to perform their duties safely and effectively.
The DHA Legislator of the Year award recognizes an outstanding legislator who is a leader on legislation that advances the ability of Delaware Healthcare Association members to help Delawarean to be as healthy as they can be.
About the Delaware Healthcare Association
The Delaware Healthcare Association (DHA) was formed in 1967 and is a statewide trade and membership services organization that represents and serves hospitals, health systems, and related health care organizations in their role of providing a continuum of appropriate, cost-effective, quality care to improve the health of the people of Delaware. DHA’s mission is to provide policy and advocacy leadership in creating an excellent environment to support our members in helping every Delawarean to be as healthy as they can be.
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