A Bright Future for Health Care: Is It Possible?

Donald Berwick, M.D., Former President and CEO, Institute for Healthcare Improvement; Former Administrator, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

The second annual Lundberg Institute Lecture welcomes Dr. Berwick, who studies the management of health-care systems with emphasis on using scientific methods and evidence-based medicine and comparative effectiveness research to improve the tradeoff among quality, safety and costs. In the ongoing difficult transition to the Obama health plan, Dr. Berwick's analysis of these issues has been resisted, and even distorted, by some political opponents in the current public debate. Dr. Berwick concludes that "Any health-care funding plan that is just, equitable, civilized and humane must, must redistribute wealth from the richer among us to the poorer and the less fortunate. Excellent health care is by definition redistributional." Also, hear Dr. Berwick's ideas on how true delivery system reform – changing care to better meet the needs of patients, families and communities – provides a sensible and effective alternative to the much-feared threat of rationing of care.

MLF: Humanities
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. networking reception, 6 p.m. program
Cost: $20 standard, $8 members, $7 students (with valid ID)
Program Organizer: George Hammond
Also know: In association with The Lundberg Institute