American Academy of Nursing

June 30, 2010

Raise the Voice Event Addresses Diverse Innovations and Diffusion

Washington, DC (June 30, 2010) – The American Academy of Nursing (AAN) and its Raise the Voice campaign brought together distinguished health care providers and other prominent stakeholders for a dynamic and informative discussion – Solutions to Scale: Proven Health Care Models for Primetime – on Wednesday at the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Barbara Jordan Conference Center.

Click here to view a view recording of the event. 

The event, moderated by National Public Radio’s Scott Hensley, examined how various innovations could be applied during the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which was enacted in March. The forum also apportioned time for experts responsible for the execution of health reform to react by detailing their own institutions’ priorities and challenges regarding implementation and how the innovations might be considered.

“Passing health care reform legislation is only the first step in transforming a failing health care system into one that is patient- and family-centered, ensures timely access to care people need, improves health outcomes, and reduces costs,” said AAN Board Raise the Voice Co-Chair Diana Mason, PhD, RN, FAAN. “Nurses have developed innovative solutions to accomplish these goals, but we need to find ways to support, sustain, and spread their great work.”

Ken Thorpe, PhD, Department of Health Policy and Management at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, provided opening and closing remarks about the status of implementation to date, and former Pennsylvania Congressman Robert Borski delivered remarks on behalf of Raise the Voice Advisory Council Chair Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell. A diverse group of speakers highlighted two panels, each addressing different aspects of health reform implementation, and contributing to a vibrant and thoughtful discussion.

Panel One:

• Tina Johnson, CNM, MS, Practicing Nurse Midwife 
• Tine Hansen-Turton, MGA, JD, CEO, National Nursing Centers Consortium, Executive Director, Convenient Care Association, Raise the Voice Edge Runner 
• Eileen M. Sullivan-Marx, PhD, CRNP, FAAN, Advisor, Living Independently For Elders (LIFE), Raise the Voice Edge Runner 
• Deirdre Baggot, BSN, MBA, Administrator for Cardiac and Vascular Services, Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital, CMS ACE Demonstration Site for Bundling Payments 
• Sandra Haldane, BSN, MS, RN, Chief Nurse, Indian Health Service

Panel Two:

• Randall Krakauer, MD, FACP, FACR, Head of Medicare Medical Management, Aetna 
• Susan Reinhard, PhD, RN, FAAN, Senior Vice President, AARP Public Policy Institute, Chief Strategist, Center to Champion Nursing In America 
• Matt Salo, Director Health and Human Services Committee, National Governors Association 
• Ellen-Marie Whelan, NP, PhD is a Senior Health Policy Analyst and Associate Director of Health Policy at the Center for American Progress

Raise the Voice is the Academy’s platform to identify and promote nurse-led or –designed models of health care that have demonstrated clinical and financial outcomes. A collaboration of Academy Fellows, partner organizations and consumer groups, the campaign has been a vehicle to inform policymakers, media, and health providers of nursing’s proven solutions.

Raise the Voice is supported by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. For more information about the Raise the Voice campaign click here. 

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The American Academy of Nursing (www.AANnet.org) anticipates and tracks national and international trends in health care, while addressing resulting issues of health care knowledge and policy. The Academy’s mission is to serve the public and nursing profession by advancing health policy and practice through the generation, synthesis, and dissemination of nursing knowledge.