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The 2008 Conference on Health Care Transparency and Patient Advocacy was held on Nov. 20th, 2008 in Lexington, Kentucky.   The main topics of the conference were healthcare acquired infections, never events and healthcare transparency.   Two major questions were asked:

• (Video is of a patient testimonial who contracted MRSA from a healthcare facility.)

•  

• 1.)  Should the State Medicaid Program adopt Medicare Regulations and stop paying for never events especially when there is a budget shortfall?

• 2.)  Should the State place Certificate of Needs up for bid and let healthcare facilities around the nation compete for them?  The money could then be matched with federal funds and used for indigent care.

Preconference news story from the Lexington Herald Leader - 11/14/2008
 Read Story Announcing The Conference  

Post conference news story from the Lexington Herald Leader - 11/29/2008
Read Story on Conference Presentations

The following presentations can be viewed online.  The videos are unedited and the viewer should verify all statements and opinions made in the presentations.  (Note, due to recording difficulties not all speakers have a video of their presentation or their video may be truncated.)

Never Events, Healthcare Acquired Infections & Healthcare Transparency
Ken Connor, JD - Presents on Never Events Harvard Lecturer & Chairman Center for a Just Society.  Legal Counsel involved in Erin Brockovich's efforts to recoup federal payments for never events.  Legal Counsel for Governor Jeb Bush in connection with the Terri Schiavo case.      WMV  21 mins   368 Kbps
Lisa McGiffert - Director of the Consumer Union's (Consumer Reports) project on public disclosure of health care acquired infections.  WMV  21 mins   500 Kbps   GAO Reports Calling For Leadership From DHHS to Address Healthcare Associated Infections & Overview of State Reporting Programs:   March 31, 2008   Sept 5, 2008
Nancy Wilson, MD MPH, Joint Senior Advisor to Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and to the Office of the Secretary.  Find out what AHRQ has planned to promote transparency. WMV  36 mins   368 Kbps
Rudy Rupak, CEO of PlanetHospital.  We are in a world wide market for healthcare.  Learn about Medical Tourism from the largest Medical Tourism Company in the World.  WMV  33 mins   368 Kbps
Kevin T Kavanagh, MD, MS  Board Chairman of Health Watch USA discusses how once "need" has been determined Certificates of Need should be placed up for bid with large hospital corporations to raise money for indigent care.   WMV  31 mins   368 Kbps    References View Op-Ed CON Jan 5, 2009
Marvin Feit, Phd  Editor of the Journal of Health and Social Policy, reflects on the conference and discusses the state of healthcare in the United States.   WNV 20 mins   500 Kbps
Zenei Cortez, RN  President of the California Nurses Association and National Nurses Organizing Committee presents on the importance of nursing ratios and patient safety. WMV 22 mins     368 Kbps      Download Handout -- The Ratio Solution
Kraig Humbaugh, MD   Director of the Kentucky Department of Epidemiology discusses MRSA and Healthcare Acquired Infections.