U.S. Representative Brett Guthrie of Kentucky, the ranking Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives Energy Subcommittee on Health, toured UNMC last month at the invitation of Nebraska U.S. Representative Don Bacon.
Rep. Guthrie made several stops on his Nebraska visit, including visiting Boys Town National Research Hospital and meeting with several state and community health organizations and leaders.
“The biggest part of what we want to do,” he said, “is to make sure we maintain innovation in health care.”
Before his tour, Rep. Guthrie said Rep. Bacon had called the Davis Global Center “one of the most innovative buildings in the country in health care.” He added “I’m looking forward to seeing it.”
Christopher Garabrandt, a member of Rep. Bacon’s staff, joined UNMC Director of Government Relations Mark Bowen to host Rep. Guthrie on the tour.
During his UNMC visit, Rep. Guthrie toured the iEXCEL program and the National Quarantine Center, meeting with UNMC leaders, including Chris Kratochvil, MD, and James Lawler, MD, of the Global Center for Health Security, Shelly Schwedhelm, executive director of emergency management and clinical operations, and others to discuss initiative such as the HHS National Disaster Medical Systems Training Collaborations, the HHS National Emerging Special Pathogen Training & Education Center, the Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center and National Special Pathogen Systems of Care.
Rep. Guthrie said he was impressed by the capabilities at UNMC.
“It’s absolutely impressive,” he said. “This is innovation in education and training in health care. To stand inside of a ‘blood vessel’ and see the cells move around you, it really lets you understand what’s going on inside the body. Everybody at this university ought to be proud of what they have.”