HEALTHCARE REFORM TO HIT THE AIRWAVES

Viewers watching the upcoming nominating conventions will see a new advertising campaign advocating for healthcare reform, as reported in AHA News. Backed by some major healthcare associations, the effort is meant to provide impetus and urgency to tackle this major component [as much as 15% of GDP] of this country's economy.

Providers, suppliers, financial services companies, as well as consumers all have a stake in finding a new approach to making quality healthcare affordable and accessible throughout the country. The vested interests for maintaining the status quo might finally be challenged so that "business as usual" will no longer be the case when the next administration comes into office.

Record shattering deficits, an ill conceived war sapping our energy and resources, trade imbalances, a weak dollar, the crisis in the financial markets, global warming, energy independence, social security reform, are all huge problems that will advocate for time and money in the corridors of power in Washington. The healthcare industry will have to compete with all these issues to get the priority level and financial support needed in Washington to deliver our industry's services much more efficiently and effectively to a growing population that lives longer and places more demands on the industry.

Hopefully, the ad campaign will focus on heightening the awareness of and urgency to find better ways of delivering healthcare. Now is not the time to advocate any single approach as that will only enable the entrenched interests to divide and conquer and maintain the status quo.