February 26, 2010
The Honorable Peter A. Hammen
Health and Government Operations Committee
Room 241, House Office Building
Annapolis, MD 21401-1912
Dear Delegate Hammen:
HB1162 would require the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene to establish a registry that includes specified information on employees of health care facilities who were terminated for abusing or neglecting a specified individual in a health care facility, and require the placement of the employee on the registry under specified circumstances. In addition it would authorize specified health care facilities to have access to the registry, and prohibit a health care facility from employing an individual listed in the registry.
The Legislative Committee of the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce supports this bill. This bill would be a valuable tool for employers in various health care facilities and health care related businesses to appropriately screen applicants. For various reasons, many employers have long been unwilling to give references on former employees. This bill would provide the information needed to best protect the patients in the care of health care facilities.
We therefore ask that your committee give this bill a favorable report.
Sincerely,
Richard Haddad
President
CC: Senator Larry E. Haines