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I really enjoyed the program today. Health, health care and access to both are very complex issues related to so many other complex issues as was discussed today.

One concern I have is that we are looking for that "magic bullet" in terms of a solution and loose sight of the fact that the answers to complex problems require comprehensive and collaborative solutions.

We need free clinics and volunteers and sliding fee scale clinics to take care of people right NOW. We also need policy change, activism and social change to make a difference over the long haul to affect broader issues. We must be careful in our excitement about any one solution to not somehow disparage another important element of the solution.

I would like to remove the words "or" and "but" from our vocabulary around health disparities and use the word AND much more frequently.

There is so much good that is going on already in our communities - AND we can to more and better. There is a need for policy makers to pay attention to systemic issues AND to making sure people get the care they need today.

www.projectaccessnow.org has information about a relatively new collaborative effort in the Portland Metro Area designed to increase access to health care for the low income uninsured through supporting already existing safetynet clinics and involving community volunteer physicians and other health care providers.

posted 3 years, 11 months ago
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