According to Ron Anderson M.D., CEO and President of the Parkland Health and Hospital System in Dallas Texas, the increasing demand for services resulting from patient and poverty populations puts a strain on the current system. Speaking at the 2007 Public Health Congress held on July 16-18 in Washington D.C., he elaborated on the need to erase cultural barriers in treating patients, develop a strong public health service, and the necessity to develop a wellness system. more»

In the UK, three year old Isabel Maude was diagnosed with chicken pox, but after the initial diagnosis, Isabel’s illness took a strange turn. Isabel developed a high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, severe pain, and discoloration of the chicken pox rash. Follow-up visits to the doctor and the emergency room reassured the parents that everything was normal and there was nothing to worry about. Like most parents they trusted the physician’s opinions and waited for her to improve. more»

Christopher Koller, Rhode Island’s Health Insurance Commissioner, speaking at the Public Health Congress on July 16, 2007 in Washington D.C., said “the Governor’s goal is to have health IT for the majority of individuals in the state by 2010.” To help move health IT forward, the state issued a Request for Proposal on July 11th to form a RHIO to manage the contract with the State’s health information exchange vendor. The RFP is due on August 28, 2007. more»

Rural healthcare systems don't measure up when compared to their urban counterparts, several health-sector experts say. "We have an inequitable system across the country," said Michael Meit, co-director of the Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis, a division of the National Opinion Research Center, a non-profit organization affiliated with the University of Chicago. more»