The following article summarizes the original event which is listed below the summary.
September program recap: Health disparities affect us all
The high cost of medical care is sapping resources from investments in public health and social services, investments that can promote wellness and reduce inequities. He challenged us, as individuals, and UMRA as an organization to help change the narrative around health care. We need to strengthen the capacity of communities so that healthy choices are possible and health policies are designed to increase equity, he said. The slides Dr. Ehlinger presented are posted on the UMRA website. They include many disturbing statistics and important messages.
–Jean Kinsey
September Luncheon Meeting
Tue, September 26 2017, 11:30am
Ed Ehlinger
Commissioner
Minnesota Department of Health
Conference Room ABC, Campus Club, Fourth Floor, Coffman Memorial Union
Dr. Edward Ehlinger, Minnesota's Commissioner of Health, will lead off our 2017-18 luncheon series with a timely discussion focusing on “Creating Health in our Community.”
Dr. Ehlinger will review major strides made to improve health over the years and identify recent changes in attitudes and policies that threaten this progress. Of particular interest to Dr. Ehlinger is the shifting narrative regarding health care in our nation.
“Creating health is not dependent just on personal choices; it requires systems and policies,” he says.
As commissioner, Dr. Ehlinger is responsible for directing the work of the Minnesota Department of Health - the state's lead public health agency. The department has approximately 1,400 employees in the Twin Cities area and seven offices in Greater Minnesota.
Many of us may remember Dr. Ehlinger from his days as director and chief health officer for the University’s Boynton Health Service, from 1995 to 2011.
Dr. Ehlinger’s previous experience includes serving as a director of Personal Health Services for the Minneapolis Health Department and working in the National Health Service Corps. Dr. Ehlinger is an adjunct professor in the Division of Epidemiology and Community Health at the U of M School of Public Health.
Board certified in internal medicine and pediatrics, he also holds a master’s degree in public health. Among his professional achievements, Dr. Ehlinger has been honored as a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar and a Bush Fellow. In addition, he has served as president of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials the Minnesota Public Health Association, the Twin Cities Medical Society, and the North Central College Health Association.
You may view his slides, or visit his blog for more details on his vision.
- Gerald “Jerry” Rinehart, UMRA president-elect and Program Committee chair
Upcoming Events
Our July 15 "hike" is going to be a kayaking adventure on Bde Maka Ska (formerly Lake Calhoun) and Lake of the Isles! If you don't have a kayak (or paddleboard), Wheel Fun Rentals, located next to the new concession stand rents single kayaks at $15 an hour and double kayaks at $25. The second hour is free if we rent before noon. Life jackets are provided with the rental.
Laura Ericksen will lead the discussion of How Stella Learned to Talk by Christina Hunger, a true story by a speech-language pathologist who taught her dog, Stella, to communicate using buttons associated with different words.
Our August 5 hike will be a reprise of our hike last summer at William O'Brien State Park. This is a beautiful park with a winding trail and a great view of the countryside. The hike is about 5.5 to 6 miles and we'll go at a moderate pace with frequent water breaks. After the hike, we will eat lunch at Rustic Roots Winery, a half mile north of the park.
Kathy Cramer will lead the discussion of The Bookbinder by Pip Williams, a book set in 1914 Oxford chronicling the life of Peggy who works in the University bindery, but craves a life beyond binding books but to being a scholar herself.
Enjoy a two-hour cruise on the Jonathan Padelford, leaving from the Harriet Island dock in St. Paul, boarding time at 5:30 p.m. We will have a brief program on board by Patrick Nunnally from the River Life Program of the Institute on the Environment.
August 31 is the due date for annual reports and updates. Annual Reports, Toolkits, web page updates, operating document updates and archives collections are all due each year on this date.
Autumn is a wonderful season in Minnesota so plan to join UMRA at the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Kristen Mastel, head librarian and curator, will reveal its treasure trove of publications and artifacts relating to plant history, horticulture, and natural history. After the tour, those who are interested may stay to eat lunch together, sitting outside if the weather is nice. Later, you are invited to a one-hour tram tour of the entire Arboretum that includes natural areas of flowering shrubs, bogs, and forests, family garden and landscaping showpieces, and the red barn farm
After a summer break the UMRA Photo Club will next meet September 10, 2024 in the meeting room of the Hennepin County St. Anthony Branch Library. For those interested in lunch, meet at the Great Dragon at 11:30 am. For September the THEME will be Curves
We will continue to discuss the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage. You will also hear about notable non-health plan and non-broker resources.