by Amanda Conschafter, blog editor
This month the Alliance for Patient Access takes on a new project dedicated to health care access for infants, the National Premature Infant Health Coalition. Under AfPA’s leadership, the coalition will benefit from both AfPA physician advocacy and AfPA’s experience in encouraging comprehensive care for infant patients.
Founded in 2005, the National Premature Infant Health Coalition encompasses professional, clinical, community health, and family support organizations focused on improving the lives of premature infants and their families. The coalition serves these groups by promoting education and support services. Since 2009, Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies has managed the coalition.
By assuming leadership for the National Premature Infant Health Coalition, AfPA expands its current efforts toward access to infant health care. Past advocacy has centered on infant respiratory care, and AfPA physicians are currently advocating for access to preventative therapy against respiratory syncytial virus – a disease that can be deadly for premature infants and disproportionately affects African American babies.
Moving forward, AfPA will provide physician advocacy and educational resources to expand and continue the National Premature Infant Health Coalition’s work. AfPA’s leadership equips the coalition to pursue the two groups’ common end goal: access to health care that ensures healthy infants.
