During each legislative session, the number of people who fill the State Capitol multiplies – lawmakers, per diem staff, lobbyists and citizens circulate throughout the statehouse as the Legislature conducts its business. With this heightened traffic, the Doctor of the Day program provides many beneficial services to individuals who may experience unforeseen medical circumstances. This year marked the 15th anniversary of the start of the Doc of Day Program and both the Senate and House of Delegates recognized the importance of the program. The Senate adopted Senate Resolution 5 on Jan. 23, 2004, acknowledging the dedicated service of West Virginia’s Academy of Family Physicians to the Legislature. On the same day, the House of Delegates issued a citation to the Academy recognizing its service. Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin said the doctors who participate in the program provide quality medical care to people in the Capitol. “We have thousands of visitors at the Capitol during the legislative sessions in addition to all of our legislators and staff, and I have seen the family doctors providing excellent medical care,” he said. House Speaker Bob Kiss recognized how busy members and staff are during the session and that they might not have time to see their own doctors. Kiss said the program is important to the to the heath care of those involved with the legislature and “provides a valuable resource for medical information to our members.” The West Virginia Academy of Family Physicians sponsors the program and has provided a volunteer family physician every day of the legislative session since the program was implemented in 1989. Doctors from all over the state, including family practice residents from West Virginia and Marshall Universitys’ medical schools, participate in the program. Over the years, the program has provided more than 20,000 patients with emergency medical treatment. Patients have included legislators, staff, government officials and the
general public visiting the Capitol. The doctors have treated whatever ails people in the Capitol, including everything from headaches to heart attacks. Also, the services provided may eliminate numerous trips to health care facilities outside the Capitol for those who receive regular or routine procedures. During the limited number of days in the session, lawmakers and staff save lost time from the workplace. Doctors are assisted by the Capitol’s full-time RN Marsha Francis. Affectionately referred to as “Nurse Marsha,” Ms. Francis mans the Capitol Dispensary and assists the visiting physicians. Should an emergency occur, Ms. Francis has access to a variety of medical equipment on the Capitol campus including four Automated External Defibrillators (AED), oxygen and other medical apparatus. The Dispensary serves as a triage facility and handles everything from basic procedures to major trauma and has the capabilities to sustain an injury until the patient can be transferred to a medical facility. With nearly 14 years of Capitol nursing experience, on top of 30 years of hospital service, including a three-year stint in the OR (operating room), Ms. Francis is a graduate of West Virginia Univerity Institute of Technology’s first nursing program. “I appreciate the Doctor of the Day Program during the 60-day Legislative Session,” Francis said. “I learn a lot from them and I hope they learn a lot from me.” The program was the first of its kind in the country and has been a model for other state legislatures including Oregon, Kansas, Florida, and Michigan.
“Doc of the Day” program provides valuable service
