Staff Writer
Northeast Florida is considered a center for health care and medical services, but there hasn’t been a forum for stakeholders across the spectrum to work together.
Until now.
The Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce recently launched a Health Council with a mission to “discover and promote the best practices that enable Northeast Florida Chamber businesses to optimize the health and well-being of their workforce and the community.”
Close to 200 participants attended the first meeting Sept. 7. The turnout was much larger than organizers expected, said Travis Webb, 2010 Health Council president.
“It was very well received,” said Webb, “and the majority were connected to health care in some way.”
Based on the response, Webb said the concept behind the group has “probably been overdue” given the interest level and extent of health resources in the area.
Council Vice President Linda Scaz, Haven Hospice senior director, said the group’s goals will help the Northeast Florida community.
From outreach efforts to information regarding health care reform, Scaz said she believes the council will be a place the public can turn to for assistance.
“We’re all going to need each other,” she said. “The first meeting was a good start.”
It featured Hugh Greene, Baptist Health president and CEO, who provided an overview of the health care industry. It also featured a discussion about health records going electronic and a presentation by Broderick Green, Cornerstone senior manager, about the area’s biomedical industry. Cornerstone is the chamber’s economic development division.
The October meeting will feature Michael Shumer, Crucial Care CEO. Health care reform will take center stage in November, with Carolyn McClanahan, a nonpartisan expert on the legislation, addressing the group.
Webb said issues like medical tourism will be explored, as well as the group’s outreach efforts with such organizations as Jacksonville Community Council Inc. and the Health Planning Council.
“It’s a great start. We’re excited and we will be present in the community to serve and work with each other on the continuum of care,” said Scaz.
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