Update from Chair  -  March 1, 2005

Emergency Response Commission

·         Communications

o       Final Report distributed to all commissioners and legislators in form of :

                        Short list of 9 recommendations and Supplement

o       Editorial – Published by:

·         The Mobile Register – 1/31/05

·         The Huntsville Times - 2/27/05

·         Actions

o       Child Restraint bill  passed committee in house

o       Marketing plan and timeline for MYEPI project developed by Darrelyn Bender , past president Chambers of Alabama

o       Charles Nailen has agreed to Chair Child Caring Initiative

o       Brad Jones to Co-Chair Hospital and Nursing Homes with Martin Nowak

o       Alpha will sponsor a seminar on Medicaid

o       Meetings are scheduled to discuss how to bring more pharmacists to Alabama

o       The higher education consortium held its second meeting. More ideas and programs were discussed.  Plans are to have a group of final programs, one per University, by May 1, 2005.

 ·         Future

o       We are awaiting the green light to begin year two committee work following approval for commission for a second year.

o       40 current commissioners and consultants have asked to be reappointed.

o       Some major issues for year two

§         Working with physicians to minimize errors in health care system

§         Health Savings plans

§         Getting a fix on workforce needs in

·         Medicine

·         Nursing

·         Dentistry

·         Pharmacy

§         Examining the teaching of osteopathic students in the state

§         Telemedicine

Electronic Medical Records