California Regional Conference on Health Care Reform

The Mayo Clinic Health Policy Center (HPC) hosted an interactive meeting focused on the issues surrounding health care reform, both nationally and in the California region, on Saturday, April 4, 2009.

The conference was hosted by Stephen Shortell, Ph.D., Dean and Blue Cross of California Distinguished Professor of Health Policy and management School of Public Health at the University of California Berkeley, and as attended by political, health care and business leaders.

At the event, Mayo shared the patient-centered health care reform recommendations generated at a series of Mayo Clinic Health Policy Center events held around the country over the past two years. In addition, health care leaders from the region discussed some of the health care challenges and initiatives that are high priorities in the California region.

The two-fold goal of the conference was to help build awareness about the need for patient-centered reform and to receive feedback and input on the Mayo Clinic HPC reform recommendations from regional health care providers. Participants were active in the discussion of the HPC's health care reform recommendations within the context of regional health care issues that providers, payers, employers and patients throughout California are facing.

Keynote speakers

• Stephen Shortell, Ph.D., University of California Berkeley
• Hugh Smith, M.D., Mayo Clinic
• Mr. Jeff Korsmo, Executive Director, Mayo Clinic Health Policy Center
• Regional speakers to be announced