The impact of reform
Virginia Garcia hosts health care symposium
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Gil Muñoz photos by Adam Bacher |
Gil Muñoz joked about the challenges of following a former governor, a senator, a U.S. representative and a panel of distinguished speakers at the Virginia Garcia Memorial Foundation’s Second Annual Healthcare Symposium. But Muñoz, the CEO of Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center, was the only member of the impressive group to bring the crowd to tears.
During the April 7 event at the Oregon Zoo, everyone discussed the impact of recent health care reform on Oregon. Muñoz’s story, however, was a very personal example of the value of community health centers, the importance of improved access and the benefits of recent stimulus funding.
Muñoz read a letter from a member of the McMinnville clinic staff describing her experience serving as a translator for a young mother of four who needs a bilateral mastectomy. The mother confessed she wasn’t afraid to die, but she was afraid of leaving her young children. For that reason, she was determined to have the surgery. Health Promoter Elva Salinas Garcia is helping this patient through each step from diagnosis, mammogram, biopsy, lumpectomies and now surgery. Elva will even help her find special brassieres and wigs, and work with her throughout this personal crisis. In her letter to Muñoz, Elva thanked God that a job like hers was possible.
According to Muñoz, community health centers remain a critical part of the health system. Even with increased access nationwide, it is possible Virginia Garcia could move from serving 45 percent of uninsured to 25 percent. He also discussed the need for “community health centers to step up to the effort to create medical homes.”
The event began with brief talks by Senator Jeff Merkley and Representative David Wu. Merkley said that he considers the opportunity of being part of creating affordable, accessible health care for every single person to be a lifetime honor. He spoke of the importance of helping states take part in early public options pilots and said that a floor debate was planned for a national public option.
Wu said, “In 50 years, we’ll look back and wonder why there was such a hullabaloo.”
He believes that over time, this health care bill “will be seen to be, like Medicare, Medicaid and the GI Bill, as a hallmark of American progress.”
The keynote speaker was former Governor John Kitzhaber. While he praised legislators for passing a historic bill creating access, he reminded the audience that “we’ve got to have a delivery system that can take advantage of this opportunity.”
Areas of reform that still need work include a delivery system based on care coordination, patient education that empowers people to make lifestyle changes to improve their health, and an easily navigable health system.
Citing an example of a 90-year old woman with congestive heart failure, he advocated for funding for health workers who can check regularly on patients to help them manage their chronic illnesses, and a payment structure that covers non-medical issues that have a negative impact on health.
Other speakers included panelists Sue Hennessy, Kaiser Permanente Northwest; Dick Stenson, Tuality Healthcare; Nita Werner, Ornelas Enterprises, Inc.; and moderator Jack Friedman, Providence Health Plans.
