Tom Daschle : Health & Human Services Secretary                           Tom Daschle, the new Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) is a good choice for the department. He will bring his experience as former Senate Majority Leader to the President’s Cabinet. Additionally, he authored the well known book “Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-care Crisis”. It is my understanding, that he will also coordinate the efforts of President Obama’s administration to overhaul and revamp the nation’s health care system, by overseeing the White House Office of Health reform. The Department of  HHS focus is on the protection of all Americans.

The Obama-Biden Health Care Agenda states:

“The Obama-Biden plan provides affordable, accessible health care for all Americans, builds on the existing health care system, and uses existing providers, doctors, and plans.Under the Obama-Biden plan, patients will be able to make health care decisions with their doctors, instead of being blocked by insurance company bureaucrats.

The Obama-Biden plan will promote public health. It will require coverage of preventive services, including cancer screenings, and increase state and local preparedness for terrorist attacks and natural disasters.”

Prevention, Providers and Money

It will be interesting to see what actually comes out of the plan over the next four years. If our government focused on prevention alone, the savings would be astronomical. Prevention requires a lifestyle change toward optimal wellness, something that was not incorporated in previous prevention programs. The older prevention programs where prevention education and disease management as opposed to health and wellness promotion. I would suggest the government offer an incentive ( monetary, tax relief, decrease health insurance costs) to all Americans who developed a wellness lifestyle  and it was reflected in their health and wellness outcomes.

Although the plan is a very good start, I do not forsee how we can use existing providers, doctors, and plans in the near  future.  Presently, there is a shortage of nurses and doctors which is  compounded by the number of nurses who are retiring and the shortage of doctors entering primary care. Our population is aging rapidly and the number of geriatric care providers is small.

 Health Care in the Future

As a Nurse Practitioner (NP), a  primary care provider, I would like a seat at the table during discussion- as I’m sure other NPs and Physician Assistants (PA) would also like their voices heard regarding health care reform. Nurse Practitioners are leading the way today in Convenient Care Centers (CCC). We’d sure have a lot of excellent suggestions for the Administration to consider and implement.

I hope Secretary Daschle will also include ‘inclusiveness’ in his proposals. In order to see health and wellness reform, a reduction in health care disparities and health care costs,  we all need to have a seat at the table-which includes NPs, PAs and MDs (Medical Doctor).  We have to work together. This is the future of health and human services.

Your Comments: What is the future of health and human services for you? when do you see your health care provider? Do you visit for sick care or to prevent sickness?Leave your comments. and subscribe to this blog for updates.