For the 10th year, the California Medical Association and the CMA Foundation will present the California Health Care Leadership Academy. This year's theme is "Creating the Future of Health Care."
The future is on everyone's mind right now, especially since January when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger released his reform proposals. With those ideas, he challenged all stakeholders in the healthcare debate to come forward and create solutions. So how do we start the process? Come to Monterey April 13-15!
I attended all but one Leadership Academy and I always came away with greater understanding of the complex world of healthcare delivery. The presenters represent many aspects of the debate and will fill you with information to better comprehend the difficulty in finding a simple solution. One thing is clear: A utopian solution to healthcare financing does not exist on this planet. All countries worldwide struggle with it.
Even so, we cannot continue under the current conditions. There are more than 7 million uninsured in California, our medical workforce is aging, patient expectations are ballooning out of control and technology changes happen daily. All of these issues contribute to the confusion and keep us from resolution. Join your fellow CMA members in understanding the issues. Contribute your questions and potential solutions.
As the first speaker, Emily Friedman, a health policy analyst and ethicist, returns to exhort us to look at our professional responsibility to lead the debate. Her words stirred me many times and should stimulate your participation.
Friedman's introduction leads to a discussion on quality and patient safety by Steven Tremain, MD, from Contra Costa Medical Center. By transforming clinical processes, physicians in a community hospital improved quality. Can this be a model for all of us?
The conference will also feature discussions about stem cell research and the current status of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Robert Klein, chair of the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee, shares the progress of the $3 billion fund established to make California a leader in the search for new medical therapies.
As a contrast, Joseph Bujak, MD, presents a current dilemma--the conflict between hospital administrations and independent medical staffs. From the ethical conflicts of stem cell research to personality-based conflicts at local hospitals, finding common ground for solutions is a challenge for all of us.
The second day of the academy starts with a presentation on legal issues by Catherine Hanson, CMA general council. David Rothman, PhD, from Columbia University follows her, discussing the "Culture of Medicine" and conflicts of interest. Some physicians have developed creative ideas about what constitutes a conflict of interest. This presentation may clarify the various roles MDs share in the future of healthcare.
The challenge of treating an increasingly diverse patient population promises to be a great topic for the new chancellor of UC Irvine, Michael Drake, MD. Even though Dr. Drake does not care for patients directly, what is his role in the debate to provide high-quality medical care to all? Come to Monterey and find out!
Other presentations on emergency medical services and access to care add to a full weekend. Mix in a series of practice management courses on billing practices, electronic medical records and negotiating, and the CMA Leadership Academy promises to be a great learning experience.
Will the academy produce all the answers for health reform? No! Will the academy sort out the complexity of healthcare delivery? Yes! We must understand as many issues as possible; that prepares us for the health reform debate. For the sake of all Californians, we physicians must take the lead in the debate and create the future of healthcare. Come to Monterey. Call 800/795-2262 today.
Lytton W. Smith, MD, editor for the OCMA, is a physician practicing family medicine with the St. Jude Heritage Medical Group in Yorba Linda. Dr. Smith welcomes feedback on his articles and can be reached at editor@socalphys.com.
