October/November 2006 Oakland Voter

Oakland Voter
The League of Women Voters Oakland Area
200 S. Washington Ave., Suite 4, Royal Oak, MI 48067
Phone: 248/548-1097 Fax: 248/548-1306 website: www.lwvoa.org
President: Lisa Bauer
e-mail: [email protected]
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The League of Women Voters, a non-partisan political organization, encourages the informed and active participation of
citizens in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through
education and advocacy.
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LWVOA Board of Directors, 2005-2006
PRESIDENT
Lisa Bauer
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VICE PRESIDENT
Eva Packard - Citizen Education
VICE PRESIDENT
Sue Abrams - Outreach
VICE PRESIDENT
P. J. Royale - Development
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SECRETARY
Lysa Postula-Stein
TREASURER
Fran Fisher
DIRECTORS
Judy Bateman – Candidate Forums
Jerry Burden – Candidate Forums
Deb Horner
Randa Keener – State Liaison
Laura Gogola - Administrative Director
Tera Moon – Website Administrator
Bernadette Najor - Research
OFF-BOARD POSITIONS
Mary Ann Barkach – Voter production
Katherine Conor-Aquilina – Public
Relations
Dorothy Conrad - Administrative Support
Ann Fishman - Membership Outreach
Mary Howarth - Data Management
Debbie Macon - Local Government
Edith Phillips - International
Dorothy Warren - Voter Sponsors
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STATE LIAISON
Randa Keener
NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Mary Ann Barkach, Chair
Linda DePoorter
Barbara Rosalik
THE OAKLAND VOTER is the official
publication of the League of Women Voters. It
is published eight times a year by the LWVOA.
Articles and Letters to the Editor, with writer's
name, address and phone number may be sent
to the LWVOA office.
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Citizen Education
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PROPOSED LWVMI UPDATED HEALTH CARE POSITION
LWVMI supports:
* A basic level of quality health care that is affordable and available to all Michigan residents.
* This basic level includes access to preventive care; health promotion and education; primary care,
including prenatal and reproductive health services; acute care; long-term care; palliative care and hospice
services; and parity in mental health care coverage and services.
* Cost effective methods that do not sacrifice necessary care for the individual. Efficient and economical
delivery of care, enhanced by such practices as reduction of administrative costs and regional planning for the
allocation of personnel, facilities and equipment.
I Facilities
A. The availability of health care facilities in a given community should be reviewed to avoid duplication of
scarcely used and expensive equipment and facilities. Certificates of Need and discretionary bed use
programs, important methods of encouraging efficient operations, should be reviewed by a committee
that includes providers and consumers to ensure that the existing facilities are congruent with
community needs.
The Certificate of Need process should continue and include: 1) Periodic review of the ceilings on the dollar
amount of projects to be reviewed, 2) Streamlining the process and strengthening it through stricter
enforcement, 3) Limiting the process to new or additional medical treatment facilities and equipment and major
renovations.
B. To ensure that the most cost efficient and least restrictive health care systems are utilized, a full range
of health care options should be available including: hospitals, nursing homes, home care, minor
emergency centers, ambulatory care, out-patient surgery, adult day care, hospice programs, etc.
II Health Care Personnel
A. Use of various types of providers such as advanced nurse practitioners, physician assistants, or other
licensed health professionals should be encouraged where appropriate.
B. Workforce development: Health care workforce shortages should be addressed to improve patient safety
and the health care delivery environment through the training and support of a sufficient number of providers.
C. Providers of services share the responsibility for controlling health care costs with consumers. The
risk/benefit relationship should be considered when prescribing pharmacotherapeutics, laboratory testing or
protracted treatments, with the patient involved in the decision-making process .
)
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III.
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-
Health Care Consumers
A. Consumers should be viewed as full members of the health care team.
B. They should assume responsibility for healthful living practices both as a means to protect
their own quality of life and to decrease or eliminate excessive health care costs.
C. As active partners in the process of care, consumers should be encouraged to express their
preference for end-of-life care, and assign a patient advocate and/or assert their desires in
writing as provided for in Michigan law.
IV.
Patient Safety
A. Health care professionals have a responsibility to provide competent care. Providers and
consumers both have an obligation to support systems that will reduce medical errors.
B. Consumers should act responsibly in considering malpractice or professional liability suits.
C. The state has the responsibility to establish a resource for the reporting of medical errors and
the dissemination of this information in order to reduce patient harm across health care
settings.
V.
Access
A. Access to a basic level of care should not be based on ability to pay. Public funding should be
provided to address the financial barriers which prevent access to care and coverage for many
residents of all ages.
B. Adequate medical care and facilities should be provided in geographical areas defined as
underserved.
8
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NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO. 32
BIRMINGHAM, MI
The League of Women Voters Oakland Area
200 S. Washington Ave., Suite 4
Royal Oak, MI 48067
The League of Women
A Voice for Citizens,
A Voice for Change
Time Dated Material Enclosed
Calendar of Events
1
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Oakland Voter
October/November 2006