Join in the discussion, led here by people from all walks of life who share a desire to make the world of medicine a better place to be, whether you're a patient, a care giver, or just someone who is concerned about the future of health and health care. Remember, this is a discussion, so don't forget to comment.
| Missouri Baptist Medical Center's Joan Magruder talks about MOBAP's daily commitment to doing its part to make medicine better. more >>> |
September 19, 2009
BJC HealthCare | Barnes-Jewish Hospital Barnes Jewish West County Hospital St. Louis Children’s Hospital • No Registration Required • Pediatric and Adult vaccinations 6 months and up at most locations • Multiple dates, times and locations from October 5 - 30 • Call 314-TOP-DOCS, 314-542-WEST or 314-454-KIDS and press the auto attendant option for dates, times and locations. Missouri Baptist Medical Center • Registration requested thro... more >>> |
| Walt Johnson is a nurse at Progress West HealthCare Center, one of the highest ranking hospitals anywhere for patient satisfaction. Follow Walt through a day in his life of making medicine better. more >>> |
| 81 year old Velma Hunt is still making sure every visitor to her emergency room feels safe and secure. more >>> |
August 13, 2009
Steven LipsteinCEO, BJC HealthCare
Steve Lipstein is president and CEO of BJC HealthCare, one of the largest nonprofit health care organizations in the United States.
| In recent weeks, I have had the opportunity to be among leaders of major health care organizations who were invited to the White House to meet with director of health reform Nancy-Ann DeParle, along with Valerie Jarrett, a senior advisor to President Barack Obama and Susan Sher, Chief of Staff to the First Lady, Michele Obama. The group included CEOs of some of the best-known institutions of medicine in the United States, including Duke, Johns Hopkins, University of Pittsburgh, Virginia Mason, Partners, Catholic Healthcare West, M.D. Ander... more >>> |
September 25, 2009
Steven LipsteinCEO, BJC HealthCare
Steve Lipstein is president and CEO of BJC HealthCare, one of the largest nonprofit health care organizations in the United States.
| Many visitors to makemedicinebetter.org are asking the same questions: "What is health care reform really all about?" and "What does health care reform mean for me?" There are no short or easy answers to these questions, but below is my attempt to provide some information that might help make it a little easier to understand. First, health care reform will mean something different to everybody, depending on whether you are old or young, rich or poor, employed or not, insured or not, completely healthy or with an existi... more >>> |
Executive Director of FOCUS St. Louis
| Can we improve our health if we improve our environment? Absolutely. Our environment affects nearly every part of our lives. It is, after all, the air we breathe and the water we drink. It affects what goes into our bodies and how we live our lives. Cleaning up our environment is critical to improving the quality of life in the St. Louis community and helping all of us lead healthier lives. We can all do our part, but governments have the power to make the biggest impact on the state of our environment. They have control over regula... more >>> |
September 08, 2009
Steven LipsteinCEO, BJC HealthCare
Steve Lipstein is president and CEO of BJC HealthCare, one of the largest nonprofit health care organizations in the United States.
| News about the worldwide H1N1 flu outbreak swept the globe faster than the virus. Infectious disease experts within BJC worked closely with local, regional, state and national officials through multiple channels to keep abreast of new developments and ensure our hospitals and our staff are as prepared as they can be for early detection and appropriate treatment of affected patients. The H1N1 outbreak has underscored the importance of emergency planning and preparedness. The BJC Emergency Response Team, formed shortly after the events of Se... more >>> |
November 04, 2009
Lee FetterPresident, St. Louis Children’s Hospital
| Health care reform has engendered a broad public debate around a variety of related issues. Except for one that has been largely ignored. The most vulnerable members of our society, our children, are under-served by the health care industry and the health care public safety net due to a limited availability of pediatric physicians to care for their primary and special needs. What's the problem? The reimbursements paid by Medicaid do not cover the cost of providing care, so many community physicians either limit or do not serve Medica... more >>> |
September 20, 2009
Steven LipsteinCEO, BJC HealthCare
Steve Lipstein is president and CEO of BJC HealthCare, one of the largest nonprofit health care organizations in the United States.
| In a recent interview, BJC's Steve Lipstein was asked about health care reform. Specifically, what really has to happen to fix the problems of cost, quality and coverage. This is pretty insightful stuff and worth listening to. Click here to listen! more >>> |
September 20, 2009
James BufordPresident & CEO, St. Louis Urban league
James Buford is President & CEO of the St. Louis Urban league. Please visit www.ulstl.org for more infomation.
| As we all know healthcare reform has once again become a hot-button issue for the American public. Not since the Clinton-era have we heard such a heated debate on whether the government needs to reform healthcare. Statistically speaking, the need is undeniable: at an average annual cost of $7,439 per person, medical debt is the principal cause of personal bankruptcies in the United States. Today, more than 45 million people live without medical coverage in this country and, as a result, many are unable to pay their mounting doctor and hospi... more >>> |
October 09, 2009
Marcia BarberChief Executive Officer, Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri
Marcia Barber is the CEO of Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri, serving over 62,000 girl members and nearly 18,000 adult members in St. Louis City and County, along with 27 additional Missouri counties.
| Being healthy and fit starts with developing good habits early on; this serves us throughout our adult lives. Encouraging those habits with children, however, is often a challenge. Learning to eat right, exercise and embrace wellness isn't necessarily a priority for our youth. Research shows that more than 10 percent of children between the ages of 2 and 5 are overweight; double the proportion since 1980, according to The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. The Girl Scout organization has examined the issue of health and... more >>> |
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Many times a hospitalization or outpatient visit leaves patients and families wondering how much better things would have been if only they had a voice in how things were done. Who better to influence the healthcare delivery process than patients and families? Hospitals are becoming increasingly aware of this opportunity; PFACs (Patient and Family Advisory Councils) are being established to give patients and families an opportunity to participate in shaping the healthcare experience.
PFACs are in place at many BJC hos... more >>> |
September 02, 2009
James KimmeyPresident/CEO of the Missouri Foundation for Health
James R. Kimmey, M.D., M.P.H., is president and CEO of the Missouri Foundation for Health, a nonprofit grant making health foundation dedicated to serving the uninsured and underinsured.
| Health reform in some guise appears imminent despite the efforts of opponents to demonize and distort the intent of such reform. The topic dominates the print and electronic media, particularly when some outrageous claim is made concerning the proposals taking shape in Washington. The lack of civility that has characterized the past few months is troublesome. But there are other troublesome aspects to the debate that are less obvious but ultimately more important. The issues that have been attracting attention are several―the public optio... more >>> |
December 09, 2009
Dr. Donald SuggsPresident and Publisher, The St. Louis American
| The St. Louis American is a weekly newspaper covering issues of interest in the African American community. For more information, visit www.stlamerican.com . I think it is a significant step in the right direction for a major health care system like BJC to initiate an interactive online forum such as this. It is now widely recognized and often stated that to improve health outcomes – to make medicine better – will require input and action from everyone. Much of the focus this year has been on members of Congress... more >>> |
CEO, BJC HealthCare
Steve Lipstein is president and CEO of BJC HealthCare, one of the largest nonprofit health care organizations in the United States.
| The plight of almost 50 million uninsured fellow citizens in our country, the continually rising costs of health care and the combined impact of both on working families and businesses alike, have landed at the top of President Obama’s legislative agenda. The focus is welcome and overdue, but health care reform is a monumental undertaking that will take years of hard and serious work. As a provider of health care services and the area’s leading employer of health care professionals, we have a vested interest in what changes will... more >>> |
September 01, 2009
Kathy OsbornExecutive Director, St. Louis Regional Business Council
Kathy Osborn is executive director of the St. Louis Regional Business Council, a consortium of 100 of the region's largest companies, with a mission to impact business, civic and philanthropic efforts for the betterment of the St. Louis area.
| The health of employees is a priority for any organization, and wellness programs are undoubtedly a core component in controlling health care costs and improving the productivity and morale of employees. Health and wellness programs serve as a gauge of an active community and are very important to both employers and the St. Louis community. At The Regional Business Council, health care is a topic of great importance to all of our businesses and we have provided our members with the necessary tools to implement effective health and wellness ... more >>> |
November 30, 2009
Steven LipsteinCEO, BJC HealthCare
Steve Lipstein is president and CEO of BJC HealthCare, one of the largest nonprofit health care organizations in the United States.
| At BJC, I write a column for our employee newspaper, titled “A Note from Steve.” We also encourage employees to share their thoughts through an invitation to send a “Note to Steve” at the end of each column. Recently, I have heard from a few employees with some serious concerns about the health care reform proposals in Congress, especially in regard to government involvement in health care, tax increases and perceived rationing of health care services. It occurred to me that many of you may share these same concerns ... more >>> |
February 02, 2010
Adrian BracyCEO, YWCA Metro St. Louis
| The health care reform bill that is pending in Congress should be passed. The differences in the House and Senate versions must be hammered out and approved for final legislation to pass. It’s fundamental to the YWCA Metro St. Louis mission to eliminate racism and empower women. Yes, race and sexism play heavily in policies and equal access to health care for the people we serve. Poor and low-income women, single mothers and young women are uninsured at higher rates than other groups. Disparities in health care are a major reason Af... more >>> |
April 09, 2010
Lynne LangLynne Lang, Curriculum Development Manager with BJC School Outreach & Youth Development
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What can we do to repair the broken hearts, broken families, and broken lives caused by bullying – a different kind of heart disease that is affecting our country? Massachusetts, Florida, Illinois, and Missouri are just a few of the states with more recent high profile bullying incidents ranging from cyber crimes to violent fighting to suicide. If a disease is defined as any unfavorable condition or environment that affects public health, then bullying has become an epidemic. Bullying can cause symptoms such as headaches, abdominal... more >>> |
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