With the flurry of changes affecting the health care landscape, how can consumers learn about reforms that affect them and, perhaps more importantly, how can they advocate for themselves?
Those questions will be tackled at an Oct. 21 event organized by Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut. The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Quinnipiac University’s Center for Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at 370 Basset Road, North Haven.
Organizers hope attendees will be inspired into advocacy, said Adam Chiara, a spokesman for the foundation. The goal is for participants to not only learn about changes in the health-care system but to then use that knowledge to push for improvements, he said.
“We’re really trying to train consumers to be advocates,” Chiara said. “We would really like to spark a discussion. We’re really hoping that when you leave this, you are not only informed but you are ready to take action.”
The event is free and open to the public. While all consumers can benefit from attending, the subject matter will be of particular interest to those who have had challenging dealings with the health care industry or know someone who has, Chiara said.
The program will begin at 9 a.m., following an hour of networking and breakfast that starts at 8 a.m. A panel will focus on ways to motivate consumers to become advocates. Panelists include Rachel Grob, director of national initiatives at the University of Wisconsin’s Center for Patient Partnerships; Ted Rooney, project leader for the state of Maine’s Aligning Forces for Quality initiative; Shawn Lang, director of public policy at AIDS Connecticut; Eva Bermudez, organizer of union CSEA/SEIU Local 2001; and Lorenzo Jones, executive director of A Better Way Foundation.
Other sessions will focus on concrete ways attendees can become involved in improving health care. More information on those sessions will be available on the foundation’s website as the event date nears.
For more information or to register for the event, visit http://www.universalhealthct.org.
Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut is a Meriden-based nonprofit that advocates for universal access to quality health care and promotes health in the state.