Minutes - 19781023 - Laserfiche WebLink

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739 Dr. Harry Phillips, member of Capital Health Systems Agency Board, said there is a great need far planning in the county. He said there is a need to identify problems, consider resources and come up with solutions. Mr. Jerry Robinson, Director of Orange County Health Department, said this committee is not proposed to be a duplication of H5A or' is it an organization that goes through a funding process to dispense to any particular group, nor will it develop a paid staff. He said it is not a group that has a bias toward private practice of medicine, public endeavors or some combination of both. He said membership requirements exclude persons who have obligations and immediate conflicts because•of their employment. This committee is concerned for balance that would give a full voice to Orange County residents. Commissioner Gustaveson said Orange County needs a mechanism like this to make it possible to coordinate resources to address needs that are not being met. Commissioner Willhoit~concurred with this statement. Commissioner Gustaveson said the committee is structured to have an entire consumer body. He said anyone with medical connections would be excluded.. pr. Cromartie said the group did not feel providers should be excluded. He said provider groups would be present to view problems they are dealing with. There is no focus for that now. Mr. F. Ross Porter wanted to know the purpose of the creation of the committee. He said there is no delegation of power to screen all health matters between the populace and commission or make recommendations. If this is to serve as an individual focus for the benefit of the Commissioners, the Commissioners must divorce them- selves from competence in the health field. If there is no income or outgo to continue the committee, how are they supposed to get free consultants who are "highly regarded" by other health officials in the area? He asked, how do you expect to use this except as a debating society? _ Commissioner Whitted said the committee would broaden input from citizens ~~ in the area on medical care and health care. We need to draw up a statement of purpose at this point to guide the advisory council. ~ Mrs. Josephine Barbour asked on how many health committees the Commissioners were now serving. She was told Mental Health, Health Board and Ad Hoc. Commissioner Willhoit said the Commissioners got many different signals from many different health-provided agencies. This committee would give us the provider vs. consumer aspect in providing medical care. Mr. Porter said he would be the last to believe a consumer is not competent to make judgment, but by excluding people who have adequate skills in health problems to advise you, it seems to be the wrong road. He felt a mixture would make a better advisory council. He said the Commissioners already had a mult i p1icity of groups before them making official and semi-official reports. He felt one way to simplify this was not to endorse another group. Commissioner Gustaveson said we can appoint members tv the advisory council to open up to us a range of expert advice. He said in relation to too many committees, this is one way to grappel with some serious problems. He felt the Commissioners should try to help develop a mechanism to bring together members of the health systems and find better ways to deliver services. He felt this would insure Orange County having priorities built into HSA Plan III. There are many decisions being made regarding provider institutions in North Carolina and the Commissioners need to know what the priorities are and how we fit into these. Commissioner Whitted asked whether Ad Hac's work was finished. pr. Cromartie said it would be unless they were given specific word from the Board. f r Commissioner Gustaveson said the next step would be to urge the Commissioners to adopt this proposal. He said the committee does have suggestions of people to nominate for this committee. He asked the Board to take time. and get resumes from a broad range of people. ;.