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Key Words: 

General Assembly, Joint Committee, Primary Care, Health Systems, Medical & Dental Scholarships, Educational Outcomes, Practice 'sights', Policy Objectives. Indigent populations, 'Free' clinics. Voluntary care. Access. Under served populations. Targeted illnesses

Concept

Government and private non profit agencies and  organizations can stimulate new programs to meet the need of underserved populations.

Objectives

Following these presentations, students should be able to describe state activities which focus on improving individual and community health status by improving access to primary care, as well as the functions of a 'free clinic'. They should be able to describe the role of the Virginia Health Commission, [an arm of the state legislature responsible for initiating studies to contain cost and improve access to health care]. As well as the Virginia Health Foundation [a private non-profit agency developed by the state legislature] which funnels foundation funds to community agencies which take a lead in improving access to primary care. They should be able to describe the role of 'Free Clinics" in improving access of health care and the value of their linkage to the community public health system. Also, read about one physician's view of the California Doctor's experience during riots of 1992 and what this might have meant to health access for the underserved in California.

Presentations

Health Care Safety Net & Richmond - (Handouts) Sheryl Garland MHA, Also read my comments on the development of the programs. Sheryl refers to the IOM study "Shared Destiny". I have provided a link to the book which you can read on-line or purchase from the IOM
Scan "Holes in Americas' Safety Net" particularly pages 5-8

and Spreading the Safety Net — Obstacles to the Expansion of Community Health Centers (NEJM-2008)

Virginia Health Care Foundation (handouts): Sherrina Gibson
Look at;
Virginia's distribution of free clinics
Virginia's distribution of primary care centers
Compare them

Other Foundation Models (Where is their focus?)
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
W. K. Kellogg Foundation
Ford Foundation
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

Joint Commission on Health Care: (Print handouts)Michelle Chesser
Scan the Joint Commission's Decision Matrix for the 2006 General Assembly Session:

How much is special interest and how much will address significant health issues affecting the whole population. How much is institutional based and affects ongoing medical interventions, How much addresses ambulatory care and prevention of institutionalization. Look at the options for each suggested intervention and decide where you stand. Next semester, when in Dr, Lanier's class, follow these activities and find out what happens and why.  Visit the Joint Commission Home Page ,
 

        Three articles from Carol Pugh are important to this evening's sessions as they are to Dr Lanier's presentation last week.
From the Nov 16 New York Times
            Link to Annals of Internal Medicine Article on Physician willingness to support a National Health System.
            Link to Editorial on above article in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Now: What other alternatives you could consider to ensure that all citizens have access to health & medical care.  Should they be: