Welcome to STAHR
STAHR's Upcoming Events
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Cover The Uninsured Week!
April 28 - May 2, 2008
Noon - 1 PM
Lecture Room 4, Scaife Hall, Pitt Med School. Map & Directions
Lunch served at all events!Please join us for some great interactive talks and activities that highlight the challenges faced by the uninsured as well as what we can do now to help. Brought to you by:
American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC)
American Medical Association (AMA)
American Medical Student Association (AMSA)
Student Alliance for Healthcare Reform (STAHR)
Student National Medical Association (SNMA) -
Monday, 4/28: Drugs and the Uninsured!
Pharmacist Sharon Connor, who (is awesome and) has a ton of experience in community-based clinics, will tell us how we can get free medications for uninsured patients through Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs and Kelley Wasicek, (Project Manager for the UPMC Drug Sample Initiative) will give us the scoop on what happens to samples from drug companies now that UPMC has implemented the new industry relations policy and how this could affect the most vulnerable patients.
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Tuesday, 4/29: Dr. Jeanette South-Paul
Dr. South-Paul will share some of her personal experiences, stories, and tips about providing care to the un and underinsured.
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Wednesday, 4/30: DUTCH AUCTION!
All proceeds go to the Birmingham Free Clinic (the only truly free, walk-in medical clinic in Southwestern PA). We will be serving lunch and auctioning off the services and items that you guys donate! This is going to be too entertaining to miss. Please consider donating an item/service/talent -- examples: moving help, lessons of various types, car washes, crafts, artwork, butler services, homemade food/dessert, your imagination is the limit! Please contact us with your donations!
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Thursday, 5/1: Covering the Uninsured: What you can do!
We can only hear so much about the plight of the uninsured before we become frustrated and cynical. But wait -- do you want to actually do something about the situation? Pitt Med will be taking a field trip to our state's capital on May 12, when we will meet up with med students from across PA to talk with our state senators and representatives about a bill that would guarantee healthcare to everyone in PA while controlling costs. Come have lunch with us to learn about this single-payer bill, how lobbying works, and why Lobby Day is likely to be one of the coolest experiences you've had so far in med school.
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Friday, 5/2: Healthcare for All in PA: Coming Soon?
Chuck Pennacchio, PhD, Executive Director of Healthcare for All PA will discuss a bill currently in the state house and senate, which would provide comprehensive, guaranteed, publicly-funded healthcare for all Pennsylvanians. He will contrast this legislation with Governor Rendell's proposed healthcare legislation, Cover All Pennsylvanians, which is a mandate to purchase insurance accompanied by some subsidies for lower-income people.
Past Events
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President-Elect of Physicians for a National Health Program!
April 9, 2008, 5:30-7PM, Scaife Hall, room TBA
Dr. Oliver Fein, Professor of Clinical Medicine and Public Health and Associate Dean for Affiliations at Cornell Weill Medical College, will lead a dinner discussion about the history of, rationale for, and alternatives to a national health program. He will also speak about what he does as the President-Elect of the 14,000-member Physicians for a National Health Program,
one of the most respected and effective national organizations advocating for guaranteed, publicly-funded healthcare for all.
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The Employer Model of Health Insurance: Good or Bad?
April 9, 2008, noon-1, Scaife Hall, room TBA
The inaugural event of the Health Policy Journal Club! We will hold monthly discussions over lunch and dinner. Jointly sponsored by AMSA, AMA, and STAHR.
Who should pay for health insurance -- the government, employers, individuals -- is a major topic in the current presidential election and a recurring concern for consumers and providers. Come discuss the traditional employer-based system of private health insurance in the US, and learn more about its strengths and weaknesses and possible alternatives. Professor Judy Lave of the Department of Health Policy and Management of the Graduate School of Public Health will be the facilitator.Lunch will be provided. RSVP by Monday, April 7.
Recommended readings, downloadable here:
- Blumenthal D. Employer-sponsored health insurance in the United States — origins and implications. NEJM, 2006.
- Custer WS, Kahn CN, Wildsmith TF. Why we should keep the employment-based health insurance system. Health Affairs, 1999.
- Gabel J, et al. Health benefits in 2004. Four years of double-digit premium increases take their toll on coverage. Health Affairs, 2004.
- Fronstin P. Sources of health insurance and characteristics of the uninsured: Analysis of the March 2007 Current Population Survey. Employee Benefit Research Institute Issue Brief, 2007.
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Healthcare on the Verge: Why, wherefore, and what to do about it
March 25, 2008, noon-1, Scaife Hall, Lecture Room 1
Why are there so many people who have trouble getting healthcare in the wealthiest country in the world? How can we create a high quality healthcare system that guarantees comprehensive care to all? Gabriel Silverman, President of the Student Alliance for Healthcare Reform (STAHR), will discuss the roots of our worsening healthcare crisis, how a publicly-funded national healthcare program would address these issues (while other proposals are less likely to work), and what we as students can do to improve the situation for our future patients and professions.
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Smoke-Free South Side Celebration
March 19, 2008, 4-6:30 PM, Club Cafe, 56 S. 12th St & Carson St.
Organized by the Reduce Smoking and Exposure to Tobacco (ReSET) Center.
STAHR is co-sponsoring this terrific event to raise awareness about the Clean Indoor Air Act (the proposed no-smoking legislation) and show that it is business-friendly to go smoke-free. There will be:
- Free beer-tasting
- Tasty hors d'oeuvres
- Guest speakers
- Live music by the Zydeco Dogz!
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2008 Presidential Season Healthcare Debate
March 10, 2008, 6:30 PM, Duquesne University Power Center Ballroom. Map
Exciting debate on the solution to our healthcare crisis: National Health Program vs. the Free Market. The event was initiated by a free-market healthcare advocacy group, Society for the Education of Physicians and Patients and is being co-sponsored by Physicians for a National Health Program.
Debaters arguing for free market healthcare:
- Sue Blevins, President and Founder of the Institute for Health Freedom
- Nadeem Esmail, Director of Health Systems Performance Studies at the Fraser Institute
- Scott Tyson, physician, CEO of Pediatrics South, and advocate with Health Care for All PA
- Gabriel Silverman, MD/PhD student and President of the Student Alliance for Healthcare Reform (STAHR)
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SiCKO Screening and Discussion
January 17, 2007, 7 PM, Scaife Hall, Lecture Room 2
Come join AMSA and STAHR for a movie night! We'll have popcorn and cookies and a lively discussion afterwards.
More information here.
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Kick-off of "Healthcare On the Verge" Lecture Series
November 26, 2007, 5 PM, Scaife Hall
Slides from Dr. Feinstein's talk
You've probably heard that 98,000 people die every year from medical errors that occur in hospitals -- more than die from motor vehicle accidents, breast cancer, or AIDS. But did you know that Pittsburgh has become famous for its success in tackling this problem, which has remained intractable elsewhere? For example, Atul Gawande wrote in awe about the Pittsburgh VA hospital, which reduced its rate of MRSA infection to zero. Come hear the inside story of how this happened, how the effort has been expanded, and what the results have been.
Karen Feinstein, PhD, President of the Jewish Healthcare Foundation and Co-Chair of the organization that has made this happen -- the Pittsburgh Regional Healthcare Initiative, will speak on how a coalition of hospitals, health plans, healthcare providers, and other stake-holders has been reducing costs by improving the quality, safety and efficiency of care.
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Summary and Comparison of the Presidential Candidates' Healthcare Proposals
November 27, 2007, noon-1 PM, Scaife Hall
Slides from Jaime's talk
Medical student, Jaime Moore, takes us on a tour of the candidates' plans and their implications.
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Annual meeting of Physicians for a National Health Program
November 2-3, 2007, Washington, DC
Come to the Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) annual meeting! It's in Washington, DC this year, which is only a four hour drive away. This is a terrific opportunity to meet student advocates from around the country, listen to leading health policy experts, and learn a lot. You don't have to be a medical student or physician to go. Check out the agenda for the Leadership Training Institute on Friday and the rest of the conference on Saturday. You can register here. Also, let us know if you're thinking about going -- we're coordinating carpools and can help students get the cost of the meeting reimbursed.
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PharmFree Week 2007
October 22-26, 2007
Exploring the complex and often problematic relationships between medicine and the pharmaceutical industry. PharmFree Week 2007 is made possible by the generous support of:
Center for Continuing Education in the Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh
The Medical Letter
American Medical Student Association
Jewish Healthcare Foundation -
Inhibiting Industry Influence: Stories from the VA to the FDA
October 25, 2007, Noon-1 PM, Scaife Hall, Lecture Room 3
Slides from Dr. Good's talk
Who decides which drugs physicians can and can't prescribe to their patients at VA hospitals across the country? Answer: Bernie Good, MD. Okay, he's not the only one. But he is Chairperson of the national VA formulary and member of FDA Drug Oversight Board.
Dr. Good will talk with us about his experiences on these national regulatory boards and give an overview of the evidence on how physicians are influenced by interaction with the pharmaceutical industry.
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Use and Overuse: How the Marketing of EPO May Have Harmed the Patients It Was Supposed to Help
October 24, 2007, Noon-1 PM, Scaife Hall, Lecture Room 4
Slides and audio from Dr. Johnston's talk
How did EPO go from wonder drug to the latest pharmaceutical marketing misadventure? Sales of the three brand-name forms of the drug totaled about $10 billion last year, making it the most lucrative product ever produced by the biotechnology industry and the largest drug expense for Medicare. Then, in March, the FDA slapped a “black box” warning — the strongest kind — on these drugs and warned doctors to use the lowest possible dose needed to help patients avoid blood transfusions. And Medicare suddenly cut off reimbursement of EPO for treating anemia due to cancer. Come hear this story of innovation, insidious industry influence, and iatrogenic intrigue!
Today's story-teller will be Dr. Jamie Johnston, Clinical Director of the Renal-Electrolyte Division at Pitt and winner of countless national and local awards for teaching excellence.
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Rational Rationing in the UK: How the National Health Service Decides What to Cover
October 23, 2007, Noon-1 PM, Scaife Hall, Lecture Room 4
Slides from Dr. Claxton's talk
How can a health system ration explicitly, while having the process be accepted by the public and keeping it free from influence by industry and interest groups? How would such rationing (or prioritizing) affect healthcare costs and quality? We'll hear how this works (and doesn't work) in Britain, which uses a centrally-regulated, evidence-based procedure for allocating resources.
Our featured speaker will be Dr. Karl Claxton, health economist at the University of York and member of Britain's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), which evaluates the cost-effectiveness of medical technology/practices and advises the National Health Service (NHS) on funding decisions.
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SCHIP: Everything you always wanted to know but were afraid to ask
October 18, 2007, Noon-1 PM, Scaife Hall, Lecture Room 2
What is the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)? How will it affect you and your patients? Why did President Bush veto the bill? What happens to the millions of kids currently covered by the program if Congress fails to override the veto this Thursday? Is the fight over SCHIP really the first battle in the coming war over healthcare reform?
Come find out the answers from the man who created CHIP in PA, the program that became the model for the national SCHIP: Allen Kukovich, Director, Southwest Office of the Governor.
Debate: Governor's bill vs. Single-payer bill
Monday, Oct 10, Castle Shannon
Want to learn more about these two proposals? This will be the perfect opportunity. Chuck Pennacchio, Executive Director of Health Care 4 ALL PA will be speaking on behalf of the single-payer bill, while Allen Kukovich, the governor's representative for Southwestern PA, will be representing Gov. Rendell's plan. It all goes down at the St. Anne School (about a 20 minute drive from school): 4040 Willow Road, Castle Shannon (Just off Rt.88 at Rockwood Avenue). We will be carpooling, so contact Gabe if you're interested in joining us.
Rallies in Harrisburg
Tuesday, Oct 2, Harrisburg
There will be rallies at the state Capitol in Harrisburg in support of enabling more Pennsylvanians to get healthcare. There will be a rally for in support of the governor's plan. There will also be a rally in support of the single-payer bill. If you are interested in attending the single-payer rally, please email our STAHR internal medicine resident representative, Ron Codario.
General Meeting
Tuesday, 9/18/07, 5:00 PM, Scaife Hall 422A-B
Mark your calendars for our first general meeting of the year on Tuesday, Sept 18 at 5pm on the 4th floor of Scaife Hall. We will discuss our educational and advocacy goals for the year, including plans for our dinner series, and elect first-year representatives.
Labor Day Parade & John Edwards
Monday, 9/3/07, 9:00 AM, Mellon Arena
We have been invited to walk in the City of Pittsburgh Labor Day Parade and hand out flyers with the Western PA Coalition for Singer-Payer Healthcare. Please let us know if you can join in! The parade starts at 10, so we'll meet at the Mellon Arena between 9 and 10 AM.
Bonus: John Edwards is going to be here! He will be accepting a presidential endorsement from the United Steelworkers at a 9 AM rally at the Mellon Arena. Read about John Edwards' plan.
See pictures from the Labor Day Parade.
Cover the Uninsured Week
Friday, 4/20/07 - Friday, 4/27/07
Cover the Uninsured Week is an annual national event that will occur this year from April 23-29 (prelude on April 20) and focus on one of our biggest healthcare problems as 47 million are currently uninsured nationwide. It is a particularly hot topic this year as several states, including Pennsylvania, and the federal government are considering plans to expand healthcare coverage. At Pitt we are planning to have a series of events, including lunch talks, opportunities to write and call your congressman, and a health fair at a local shelter, so that students can be aware of ways that this problem is being addressed and how they can help make a difference.
For more info on the national event - http://covertheuninsured.org.
CTUW Events at Pitt
Friday, April 20, 12:00pm-1:00pm in Scaife Hall LR3- Insurance Systems talk. Professor Dr. Lave of the UPitt School of Health Policy and Management will be hosting an informative discussion regarding health insurance basics. What is the American health insurance system? How do you get covered? Who goes uncovered? What plans are available and how do they effect doctor's practice? All of these and more will be discussed. Dr. Lave will give a brief overview presentation then open up to questions from the audience.
Monday, April 23, 12:00pm-1:00pm in Scaife Hall LR4- The Government and the Uninsured. Dr. Fox informed by her experiences at the Consumer Healthcare Coalition will describe two ways the government is trying help uninsured. The first is through federally qualified health centers funded by the government that serve healthcare needs of uninsured daily. The second is through legislation like Governor Rendell's bill currently working its way through state congress that if passed promises sweeping reform of Pennsylvania healthcare. This talk couldn't be bigger on stilts!
Tuesday, April 24, 11:15am-12:30pm in Scaife Hall LR4- Helping Uninsured Children. Salud Para Niños is the first pediatric bilingual clinic in Southwestern Pennsylvania. At Salud Para Niños culturally and linguistically competent primary care for children and families is complemented with activities oriented toward prevention and towards empowering the community about its own health. Dr. Diego will cover issues of uninsured and underinsured children in minority populations and will describe what we do to this respect at Salud Para Niños. He will also talk about SCHIP.
Thursday, April 26, 11:15am-12:30pm in Scaife Hall LR4- Community Outreach talk. Dr. Withers from Operation Safety Net will talk about taking healthcare service to the streets to benefit homeless individuals. Mary Herbert will talk about her experiences at Birmingham Clinic, a free walk-in clinic. Both will describe the varied backgrounds of the people they help. They will also share their feelings about how their work has inspired and impacted their lives.
Saturday, April 28, 9:00am-11:00am- Service Event at East End Cooperative Ministry. The East End Cooperative Ministry is a men's shelter. On Saturday morning, student volunteers will conduct a free health clinic, testing BP, blood glucose, and BMI, and have the chance to educate residents about ways of obtaining healthcare and important health related topics, like heart disease and diabetes. This is the chance to put intention to action and actually help local uninsured individuals.
Organizational meeting (last of the semester!)
Monday, 4/16/07, 5:15 PM, Scaife Hall 422A-B
Wrap up the semester and talk about next year. If you'd like to be in the loop about our monthly planning meetings next semester, contact us to be added to our mailing list.
Lobby Day!
Wednesday, 4/11/07, Harrisburg, PA
Do you care about universal health care? Have you ever lobbied your elected representatives? It's surprisingly easy and fun! We're going to the PA State Capitol, along with students from across Pennsylvania, to talk with our representatives and encourage them to support S.B. 300, a bill that would guarantee healthcare to everyone in the state. Come join us! No prior experience or advanced prep necessary. We'll provide transportation, breakfast, and brief you on the bill and the lobbying process! Contact us to find out more information.
Informal Discussion on Single-Payer Healthcare in the US
Monday, 3/26/07, 5:15 PM, Scaife Hall 422A-B
Have more questions about single-payer? Want to talk about it? Friendly, informal student discussion on issues related to Dr. Tyson's talk. There will be food. Contact us to RSVP.
Achieving Universal Healthcare in the U.S. Through a Single-Payer System: The Promise and Perceived Peril
- Scott Tyson, M.D.
- CEO, Pediatrics South
- Member, Medical Executive Committee of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
- Tuesday, March 20, 5:30-6:30
The 2008 presidential candidates are talking about it. Governor Rendell is talking about it. Even President Bush said that "a future of hope and opportunity requires that all our citizens have affordable and available health care." But how? The vast majority of industrialized countries have achieved universal healthcare by funding it through a single public agency, a "single payer." What is a single payer health system and how might it work in the US?
Dr. Scott Tyson discussed the advantages and disadvantages of a single-payer system in the US and gave a brief overview of the SB-300, the Pennsylvania single-payer bill. He also discussed the problems with the current system in Pennsylvania and the variety of models for payment for universal healthcare.
View Dr. Tyson's slides from the talk
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