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.
CEO, BJC HealthCare
Steve Lipstein is president and CEO of BJC HealthCare, one of the largest nonprofit health care organizations in the United States.
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On August 3, Missouri voters will be asked to vote on whether or not federal health care reform should be upheld in the state. Missouri is the first state to hold such a vote, and while there are differences of opinion among attorneys as to what the vote will mean, the St. Louis Business Journal recently published the following commentary by Steven Lipstein, President and CEO of BJC HealthCare.
On August 3, Missouri voters will decide Proposition C, a statewide referendum on whether or not individual citizens of our state should... more >>> |
June 28, 2010
Joan Magruder |
BJC • Editor’s note: This edition’s “A note from Steve” was provided by guest columnist Joan Magruder, president of Missouri Baptist Medical Center. Magruder joined BJC in 2000 as vice president of business development, physician services and alternate care sites, and assumed her role at MBMC in 2006.
Growing up as the youngest of eight children, I spent my entire childhood chasing my seven older brothers around and wanting to be just like them. I attended hundreds of their sporting events and could... more >>> |
June 10, 2010
June Fowler |
In the most recent poll on www.makemedicinebetter.org , visitors are asked how satisfied they are with their hospital. Unfortunately, the choice with the highest number of 'votes' is "Very Dissatisfied." Trying to be optimistic, I added the two "Very Satisfieds" and "Somewhat Satisfieds" together, but still did not beat the "Very Dissatisfied" and "Somewhat Dissatisfied" totals -- which I am sure Angela C. would tell me is the only way to make the comparison statiscally valid. So... more >>> |
U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill
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Even after President Obama signed the health care reform bill, I think some people still have questions about what this new law means for Missourians. This year, important health care reforms will start helping Missouri families.
This year, Missouri’s small businesses will receive tax credits to help provide benefits to their employees. 79,900 small businesses in Missouri are eligible, employing approximately 303,000 Missourians. After this year, 1.4 million Missouri children will get a guarantee that they will never again be... 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 >>> |
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 >>> |
| Sherry Shuman is a practicing rheumatologist working for the BJC Medical
Group. Watch as she partners with her patients to satisfy their needs.
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 >>> |
| Karen Prideaux is the Manager of Marketing Communications at Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital. Follow her to see what happens behind the scenes. more >>> |
| This commentary was originally published in the December 17 edition of the St. Louis American newspaper. ( www.stlamerican.com ). Whether you are celebrating Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, or another holiday, most of us will give gifts during the month of December. We will be bombarded with commercials and advertisements for the trendiest gifts of the season. With so many options for gifts, it’s easy to forget about health during the gift-giving season. But remember, healthful gifts can have long-lasting effects. So instead of ... more >>> |
December 21, 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.
| As we enter the final weeks of deliberations over health care reform and the United States Senate finishes work on legislation, the news media will attempt to capture the essence of last minute revisions, and politicians will attempt to convince us that the final version of the bill is either good or bad for the American people. We must beware the sound bite. The majority of proposed health care reform legislation is about health insurance coverage. Our government will spend between $800 and $900 billion over ten years to provide cov... 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 >>> |
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 >>> |
November 18, 2009
Barbara MonseesChief, Breast Imaging, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology and Siteman Cancer Center
Ronald and Hanna Evens Professor of Women’s Health
| Published this week in the Annals of Internal Medicine are several articles and an editorial dealing with the breast cancer screening recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. The general purpose of their efforts is a good one, to take an unbiased look at all the evidence and make recommendations based on science. This task force looked specifically at the benefits and harms of breast cancer screening including mammography, digital mammography, magnetic resonance imaging, breast self examination and clinical breast... 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 >>> |
October 29, 2009
Jo Ann EmersonU.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson, Missouri, 8th District
In Washington, D.C., she is a high-profile leader on agriculture, energy, health care and other issues that disproportionately affect Americans in rural parts of the country.
| Health care reform has gripped the Congress for the better part of the year now, and we are finally getting to the core of this debate: cost. Without an affordable system of health care, we’ll forever have problems with access. As the U.S. Representative from Southern Missouri, I see the challenges posed to patients and providers alike in our health care system every day. However, the proposals on the table in Congress are notable not for what they propose but for what they lack. Because of the raw politicization of the health care d... more >>> |
October 13, 2009
Barry RosenbergExecutive Vice President, Jewish Federation of St. Louis
| With more than 19% of American Jews, aged 65 or older (compared to 13-15% of the general population), the Jewish community has had to pioneer innovations to promote healthy aging in place, as we fulfill the Jewish mandate to honor and care for our mothers and fathers. Our goals are: 1) help seniors age at home – promoting health, quality of life and reducing cost 2) provide an integrated network of services and 3) facilitate easy access to information to help seniors and their caregivers find the services they need and for which they ... 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 >>> |
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 >>> |
| Missouri Baptist Medical Center's Joan Magruder talks about MOBAP's daily commitment to doing its part to make medicine better. more >>> |
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