April 2010 Newsletter

In this Issue:

• Executive Director’s Update
• PSU Senior Capstone
• Can You Spare a Latte?
• Rebooting Democracy
• Volunteer Opportunities with Mo & Jo

Executive Director’s Update:
Liz Baxter

Have you heard the one about Obama, Berwick and Kitzhaber walking into a bar?

Seriously, I was taking a walk in Bend recently, when a car pulled up alongside and someone shouted out, “Did you hear about Berwick being nominated to lead CMS?” Well, that’s not an everyday occurrence! I was in Bend for the Bus Project‘s Rebooting Democracy Conference and the driver pulling up was none other than our founder John Kitzhaber.

Here’s the story of why he was so excited about his friend Don Berwick.

Dr. Don Berwick and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement

In July 2008, when former Governor Kitzhaber turned over the reins of the Archimedes Movement to the Community Leadership Council, we did one other thing – we endorsed the Triple Aim, as described by Dr. Don Berwick and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. The triple aim outlines three objectives of a transformed health delivery system:

1. improved health of a defined population;
2. reduce the per-capita cost; and
3. improve the patient’s experience as they maneuver through the system.

It sounds complex, but it is really elegantly simple. Imagine, if for each change that we proposed for the system, we had only those three questions to ask – will it lead to improved health, will it lower the amount of money we spend on health expenditures, and will it improve my experience when I use the system? If the answer is yes to those three questions we move forward, if the answer is no then we know we’re going in the wrong direction.

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement usually works with local health systems, so we were probably the first grassroots movement to endorse the Triple Aim. Because we are clear on what we want out of reform, we will continue to work towards reform that results in better health, not just more money for a health system of yesterday. We want the system built for tomorrow.

News media report that President Barack Obama will nominate Dr. Don Berwick to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This is hugely important because CMS is the office of the federal government that has the authority to grant waivers to states who want to implement federal reform in ways that go beyond federal guidelines, such as Oregon has done with the Oregon Health Plan (which operates differently than traditional Medicaid programs). Support at the federal level would make it easier for states to implement reform.

In Oregon, CareOregon (in Portland) and Cascade Health System (in Bend) already have working relationships with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Oregon is – again – ahead of the curve on reform. We’ll be watching for President Obama’s formal announcement of the appointment.

Thanks, take care, and remember, we’re all in this together.

Liz

Portland State University’s Senior Capstone

Students finishing their undergraduate studies at Portland State University picked the Archimedes Movement as their Capstone project during the winter term. Their focus was on ways we could outreach to younger voters through use of social media, like Facebook and Twitter.

They took pictures, created two short videos (“Testimonial“ and “Glenn Beck“) and had ideas of how we could roll it all out. They did an awesome job and we’ll begin using their products in the coming week on our website and on our Facebook page (hope you’ve checked that out!)

Want to know what staff and members are reading? Want to watch the rollout of the work of the Capstone students? We will often post materials on our website but we’ve also begun putting links to current reading on our Facebook page. Become a fan today. Then, suggest that your Facebook friends become a Fan too. It’s an easy way to share your opinion and suggest things that we should all be reading and taking note of. Perhaps you have an article, video, or photo to share? If so, email it to Matt@wecandobetter.org and maybe we’ll add it to our posts.

Can you spare a Latte (tall, grande, or venti)?

During the past month there has not been one day where one of us did not receive an email request for contributions to help describe reform, to help pass reform, and now to help defend reform. While those requests are important, we hope you also see the need for an organization willing to cut through the rhetoric and find ways to add the public’s voice in health reform. We depend on you to continue our work.