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

Abstract #116600

Sonya R. Albury, MSW, Health Council of South Florida, 8095 NW 12 Street, Miami, FL 33126, 305-592-1452, salbury@healthcouncil.org

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.

In addition to health care quality and public need topics, this presentation will address access with a focus on geography, culture (e.g., cultural competency) and economics/economies of scale. The experience of Health Council of South Florida will be applied showing the many dimensions of access as it is examined in a local planning area through a variety of projects. A comparison of the diversity in health planning, policy development and regulation will illustrate new trends and opportunities for policy-makers and planners alike.

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) programs, the impact of CON effectively cuts across many sectors of our health care industry.

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.