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The Role of Academic Health Centers
in Health Care Reform

2006 Annual Meeting
San Antonio, Texas

Summary

Leading health experts and analysts, as well as academic health center leaders and key opinion-makers examined and debated the dimensions of academic health center leadership involvement in health care reform.

Competing Visions and Common Elements

Len M. Nichols, PhD, shared his insights on where political parties and players stand on health reform

What's Broken in the System? What Needs to be Fixed?

Health leaders representing consumer, corporate, provider, and government interests raised problems with the health care system from these particular perspectives and suggested ways to improve and reform healthcare quality.

New Ideas and Political Realities?

Political analyst Mark Schmitt presented his vision of American politics in the near
future, and provided an idea of how health reform might proceed in that context.

Research: Leading or Coexisting in a New System?

“Academic health centers should set clearly defined boundaries with industry.”

Education: Can We Get Buy-In Under Health Reform?

Speakers focused on questions related to how health reform might include education reform, and concluded that education must be part of any sustainable health reform initiative.

Health Care Delivery: Incorporating Evidence-Based Care and the Uninsured in a New System

Major concerns about the uninsured, primary care, and evidence based care continue to generate debate when completing reform. Will such issues remain barriers to change?

The States Grow Impatient: Leading Reform or a Crazy Quilt?

Should the federal government lead in health reform? If the federal government should not or cannot will states be able to create sustainable reform?