Feedback from the Archimedes Movement 2009 Conference

Submitted by Julie Magers on Tue, 11/17/2009 - 3:57pm

The Archimedes Movement annual conference, Putting Health Back in Health Reform, was attended by close to 300 people and a subset of those attendees completed feedback forms, helping us to capture information about what worked really well, and what we should focus on in the future.

Included in the feedback were many valuable ideas on how to grow grassroots leadership of a health reform Movement. By "growing," we mean increasing the number of voices, raising the demand for real changes, pushing back on efforts that oppose improvements, and generally moving us all toward a more just society that believes that we all should have an equal opportunity to be healthy.

Here is a brief synopsis of what participants had to say:

People said they came to learn more about health reform, to learn more about the Archimedes Movement, and to determine tangible actions they could take that will have an impact. Personal empowerment was a major reason many attended.

35 of the 44 respondents to the evaluation said their expectations were met or exceeded by the conference.

Attendees said the most useful parts of the conference were networking in general, and the content of the actual presentations. People were impressed with the scope of the topics and the expertise of the presenters.

Attendees made suggestions for future presenters to consider, audiences we should reach out to, and how we could devote part of the day for "action teams" focused on specific next steps. All very helpful feedback.

Some quotes from the feedback forms:

"I found Domke’s stats from the Pew Charitable Trust excellent. Shows that the public’s view is open to hearing about this issue. We need to run with the ball – give people the knowledge they seek but aren’t getting from most quarters!"

"I can be a very powerful influence on reform just by shifting my own personal viewpoints and my practice."

"There are lots of people with a shared vision to improve quality of life and health care."

As we planned the conference we were aware that some attendees would know little about health reform and attend to start their learning process. Others had more background in health reform and came to gain content in specific areas, such as integrative care or mental health and social determinants of health. Still others really wanted to generate ideas and strategies for actions to drive meaningful reform. We want to do all of those things and hope that attendees looking for those other aspects that we didn't cover will attend other more focused workshops throughout the year.

Below is a tally of individual comments. If there is a number after a comment, it indicates the number of times that comment was made in the feedback forms. Thanks again for submitting them!

What was your main reason for attending?

Archimedes Movement (Activist-related) (11)

Learn more about Archimedes Movement - (2)
What is AM planning to do to assist changes
Learn more about AM strategies, specifics - (2)
To stay in contact with AM
I’m on CLC – they made me come!
To support AM - (2)
To be an active AM member
To assess the direction of AM and of Governor Kitzhaber as both are in transition

Health Reform Movement in General (16)

Learn what others are thinking about health reform
To discover direction of health care reform in Oregon - (2)
I am discouraged about national debate; want to do something local
Stay informed in Health Reform Movement -
To keep up on health and health care - (2)
Learn more about health policy
To be exposed to a variety of perspectives on health reform - (2)
Interest in affordable health care
To learn something new
Learn more information / Increase my awareness on health care reform - (2)
Get current information - (2)

Personal Empowerment / Joining a Movement (26)

Get connected
Get inspired - (2)
Get motivated
Get educated, learn more – (3)
Get involved - (2)
Networking – (3)
Bring my passion for reform to the movement
Set a good example to my students and myself
Learn / Discover what I can do personally, actions I can take to move HR ahead - (5)
Be part of the solution
To connect in person (after 2-3 years on email list)
To be involved in the conversation about h/c
To obtain knowledge, know what’s going on
Gain ideas - (2)
Come together with a community that is working toward new solutions

Specific Project / Initiatives (8)

Will be involved in a state demonstration project for MH and Physical Health Integration
Collect information for Columbia County Community health Action Response Team
To learn what may happen if/when Governor Kitzhaber gets elected Governor again.
To learn more about integrative practices
To determine if AM is inclusive of all primary care or dominated by bio medicine – (2)
Concerned about h/c reform related to social justice and equity
To present a workshop

Did the conference fulfill your reason for attending?

Yes, exceeded - (2)
YES – (29)
Yes, except… (2)
Yes, mostly – (2)
Partially, somewhat - (4)
NO – (5)

What was most useful about today’s conference?

Overall Day and Networking:

Thorough outline of problems we face – (5)
Open exchange of information - (2)
Update re: health reform in Oregon – (3)
“The positive feeling that we can do things in Oregon that can rise above the national debate”
“That things are moving, that there may be hope”
“being reminded of how many Oregonians care about their fellow Oregonians”
Learning about AM
Ways to get involved – (2)
Bringing many people together who are working on single purpose from many angles
Discussing what is not included in current discussions on reform.
Opportunity to see how others view the situation specifically
Learning about other organizations working in health; health economics
Hearing about what people are doing and the challenges they are facing in various sectors
Overall day – (2)
Meeting representatives - (2)
Having intimate discussions over very real issues that need to be addressed
Interacting with others / Networking – (8)
Getting to know each other – I felt “community” here today.
Meeting with other colleagues who know what it will take to transform the biomedical model to a patient-focused model
Opportunities to visit with the speakers
Reinvigorating my passion for improving the health of people around me.

Specific Sessions:

Governor Kitzhaber’s talk – (8)
Bruce Goldberg - (2)
David Domke’s statistics from Pew
The lunch panel - (3)
The variety of sessions - (4)
The panels with Q&A
Forms and Info re: POLST - (2)
Integrative Medicine and how to move forward
Nutrition and Food Policy
Mental Health Issues
EOL
Primary Care
Social Justice
Groups focusing on the social determinants of health
The breakout sessions addressed issues I have thought about but haven’t known what I could do to help.
Presenting my own important message
“I heard that preventative health is important in health reform. Naturopaths are trained and are experts of preventive health and they only had 8 minutes at the podium.”

What do you think could have been added / Suggestions for 2010:

Archimedes Movement and Action

More creative solutions – (2)
What to do – (2)
Concrete ideas on how to steer the national debate
Action plans developed at conference / practical next steps - (2)
“How” of reform – how can advocates help push reform in the right direction?
What is AM “doing”
What stand is AM taking on specific legislation i.e., HB2009, HB2016
Reports from AM Chapters
Growing the grassroots movement
Organizing, supporting, growing the chapters
More focus on community building and health activities during the conference – (2)
More training on how to speak about AM to citizens and health care providers
More networking
More diverse audience
More voices from different groups
Methodology for organization
What “is” happening – pilot projects?
More action-oriented workshops
Specific areas where help (action) is needed; a menu of “needs” so to speak
Put in bold letters the AM Mission and Triple Aim
“What is health? Part of our life process is death/dying.”
How to advocate for state and fed legislation pieces we support
Get more health care students here.
Not enough opportunity to break into small region/locality-focused groups to organize, get better-acquainted with
Allow self-identifying groups to get together and identify ‘leaders’ from localities.
Provide breakout session on community involvement. How to bring the news back to the “hood”
I missed the breakouts we did at the last conference.

Health-related, Other Content

For 2010, breakouts with exemplary programs designed to address issues in health and health reform; bring more players to table for keynotes and lunch (ie. different health care modalities
2010 Theme: “Evidence based wellness / prevention”
More discussions with legislature / doctors – evolution of policies (ie pay for performance), evidence-based best practices, health care delivery system as decision-making process
More time for some key issues, such as mental health, substance dependency, parity and disparity
Include dental care – II
Emphasis on needs for services/teamwork with families with all diagnoses
Include ALL primary care providers at the table, including naturopathic docs
I would have liked to see social determinants of health as a foundational piece of the conference. It would have been wonderful to have one of the speakers from the smaller groups as a keynote speaker.
Social determinants session was interesting but diffuse in terms of practical next steps to take
Challenge the assumptions of the allopathic / big pharma / model (see speaker suggestions below).
Add an ND to panels such as nutrition and food policy and primary care in health systems reform – you’re missing a key Oregonian voice.
More points of view on economics of heath reform (One vision of John McConnell did not appear to be shared with the audience
Perhaps include panel on alternate funding models, perhaps based on TR Reid’s work(s)
True wellness education and the health continuum of our life – the future of health
Healthy lifestyles, incl attitude; how sources of stress affect us physically, more science re: emotional responses, etc.
Emphasis on communication between the various health practices and the recipients of those practices
Integrative medicine; holistic medicine – make this a general session, not just breakout – (3)
How can Cuba (poor, suffering 40 year embargo, limited natural resources) have a health care system which equals US in infant mortality and age expectancy? What are they doing right with little money (as we may soon be)?

Speaker suggestions:

Dr. Jared Zeff, ND (Vancouver, WA) Salmon Creek Clinic; he is doing what you are aiming at
Dr. Clyde Jensen, PhD – has been president of an allopathic, osteopathic, naturopathic college
Senator Tom Harkin – eloquent and has a track record for reform
Dr. Jim Sensenig – an elder of the CAM world with 40 years of clinical experience
Laurence Foss, MD (SUNY on post modern constructivist thought)

Logistical / breakouts:

More descriptive summaries to highlight breakout sessions so I know what I am choosing
Evaluations after each breakout
Perhaps fewer breakouts that are more comprehensive – (3)
More breakouts, more politicians
Back up presenters if some don’t/can’t show up
Bring Stovall back earlier in the day next time.

Logistical / general:

At registration table, put tags in boxes (4) and have four check in people; sign that says Registration
Stay on schedule.
More raffles and door prizes!
Microphone for speakers and Q&A in breakouts – (10)
Many audio visuals were not visible
Door monitors to keep doors from opening and closing during sessions
Ask at registration about Veggie meals - (2)
Rather than panel of representatives, seat them at tables with people during lunch; invite other community organizers to visit with people during lunch
Longer passing time between sessions for networking

Did you learn anything new?

Yes, how disparities are created and their impact
Yes, how much even at a conference like this, specialty medicine is value in our society and that folks don’t yet totally grasp and understand the importance of holistic medicine.
Yes, new information about mental health and corrections.
Yes, about the inadequacy of mental health care and the need to incorporate MHC in all discussions of health care.
That the national debate is all about money, not health. Good to keep that in mind.
A definition of integrated medicine – health care must be inclusive. Alternative medicine is an outdated term.
I found Domke’s stats from Pew excellent. Shows that the public’s view is open to hearing about this issue. We need to run with the ball – give people the knowledge they seek but aren’t getting from most quarters!
I learned that arrogance will not bring the changes that we desperately need.
Advanced Directive Registry (POLST)
Yes, bits and pieces throughout the day. Health economics, Heath disparities and social determinants, integrative medicine, all keynotes were awesome.
Some, many things I heard endorsed my perception of the problems. This was motivational in general.
Yes, there are lots of people with shared vision to improve quality of life and HC
Yes, new ways to frame discussion about health reform. I really appreciated hearing opinions from Republican Congress members as this isn’t a perspective I get to hear except in the context of angry yelling people.
The new engagement in political process via internet. How much of a difference it’s made.
Yes, new services available and concepts on health care.
Yes, that I can be a very powerful influence on reform just by shifting my own personal viewpoints and my practice.
This was a great forum for developing a deeper understanding of the complexities and barriers to creating a just health care system.
Yes, I have been given permission to advocate for people who don’t necessarily like me.
Deeper understanding of the social determinants of health and equity.
Integration is the way though with cost containment
Yes, about how to do advance directive, about staff of AM, and some about AM.
Integrative medicine – moving toward the mainstream of medicine and health care.
Yes, l did not know very much about health care reform prior to attending.
Yes, way too much for this little box.
That we are further along than I thought.
Nutritional advocacy was great.
How many different people are interested in this Movement. The medical house model may be a great way to centralize
There is a lot going on in this state but we need a clear direction of action is missing.
Yes, the already advances OR has made toward health care reform
The barriers between allopathic and naturopathic approaches to treatment are dissolving
OCIM (Oregon Collaborative for Integrative Medicine)
Yes, what’s going on with Integrative Medicine in OR, Nutrition and food policy reminded me of need to move my body and benefits.
Information about what the POLST effort is. (Physicians Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment)
I learned about policy.
Learned more about HB 2009 and 2116 and what’s going on in Oregon.