Health forum in Moscow Feb. 3

[Kenton Bird <kbird@uidaho.edu>]

Visionaries:
Following is a press release announcing an event on Saturday, Feb. 3.  I
hope that everyone who participated in the discussion on this list about
opportunities for cooperation among hospitals in Pullman, Moscow and
Colfax will attend.  There will be an opportunity for questions from the
audience.  I'll post an update next week as soon as all of the speakers
are confirmed.
--Kenton
P.S. Don't miss the Daily News' special section this Saturday about
health care.  It will provide important background for the forum.

***
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
        Jan. 24, 2001
        for more information contact:
        Paul Kimmell, 882-8580 or 882-1800
        Kenton Bird, 885-4947 or 883-8321


Rural health care on Palouse
to be discussed at Feb. 3 forum

 Policy makers,  health care providers and regional experts will gather
Saturday, Feb. 3, at the Moscow High School auditorium for a discussion
of ways to meet the Palouse's future health-care needs.
 The forum, titled "Rural Health Care: Challenges for a New Century," is
sponsored by the Latah and Whitman County Commissioners, the Leagues of
Women Voters of Pullman and Moscow, and the Moscow-Pullman Daily News.
 Coffee, juice and pastries will be available in the lobby starting at
8:30 a.m.  The forum will run from 9 a.m. until noon.  The high school
is located on Third Street between Adams and Van Buren.
 The forum is designed to raise public awareness of agencies that
provide health services to Latah and Whitman counties, especially to
residents outside of Pullman and Moscow.  "We hope to address issues of
access and cost, as well as opportunities for cooperation," said Latah
County Commissioner Paul Kimmell, one of the forum's organizers.
 Among the confirmed speakers are: Andrea Fletcher, Idaho Office of
Rural Health; Michael Laskowski, director of the WWAMI medical education
program at the University of Idaho and Washington State University; Fran
Martin, director of the Whitman County Health Department; Carol Moehrle,
director of the North Central (Idaho) District Health Department; Glenn
Johnson, president of the Pullman Hospital District board; Heidi Crouch,
director of rural clinics for Gritman Medical Center,, and Dan Schmidt,
a Moscow physician.  Other participants have been invited but not yet
confirmed.
 Christopher Stream, assistant professor of political science, and
Kenton Bird, assistant professor of communication, both at the UI, will
moderate the forum.  Questions from the audience will be submitted on
index cards.
 To provide background on the forum, the Daily News will publish a
special section about regional health issues on Saturday, Jan. 27.  The
section is designed to bring readers up to date on current medical
services, perceived needs, the challenges of recruiting health-care
providers, and the fiscal impact of changes in Medicare and Medicaid
reimbursement, said Steve McClure, the paper's managing editor.