Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #109549

Michael K. Dexter, MPA, Chief, Office of Health Systems Development, Rhode Island Department of Health, 3 Capital Hill, Providence, RI 02908 and Colleen Caron, PhD, Disease Prevention and Control, Rhode Island Department of Health, 3 Capitol Hill, Room 403 Cannon Building, Providence, RI 02908, 401-222-5086, Colleen.Caron@health.ri.gov.

This session would provide a panel of three active health care leaders representing states with comprehensive certificate of need (CON) programs. The format would include three 15-minute presentations of individual perceptions and experiences, followed by an extensive interactive debate and audience participation.

The presenters will draw upon years of experience and assessment of CON programs around the United States, plus information from numerous studies and surveys. With 36 states (plus the District of Columbia) administering CON programs, the impact of CON effectively cuts across many sectors of our health care industry.

This presentation will address how the CON process impacts quality of care provided at healthcare institutions throughout the nation, with specific examples from Rhode Island. Areas addressed will include cardiac, diagnostic imaging and cancer services. Examples presented will be physician competency, staffing, equipment and procedure/volume requirements that have been shown through evidenced-based research to help ensure improved quality of care at healthcare institutions.

Learning Objectives: After attending this session, the participants would be able to

• Identify those aspects of CON regulation that most impact quality of care;
• Learn the tools necessary to assess the factors necessary for adequate demonstration of public need; and
• Gain a greater insight as to how CON should be used to assure reasonable access to health care services.

Keywords: Certificate of Need, Planning

Related Web page: www.ahpanet.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation