Oral

Public hospitals remain an anchor of the US health care safety net. They are productive contributors to regional health care for vulnerable populations, especially for the uninsured and under-insured with complex medical problems. This session will describe similarities and differences in three public hospital systems, in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago. The panelist will describe how the governance and organization of the public hospital systems, local political priorities, community support, institutions of medical education, and state Medicaid programs all effect the development and stability of these organizations. The panelists will discuss the challenges each organization faces in the context of the economic recession, federal health reform, and mounting hostility to public sector services.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH) , Masters Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES)