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October 21. 2009
H
ealth matters
Inspired by his own Struggle
Health advocate launches
patient support group
Packets containing condoms, syringes, cookers, cotton
filters, gauze and sterile water necessary to prepare
drugs for injection sit in a vending machine located in a
poor neighborhood in San Juan, Puerto Rico. (AP Photo)
Vending Syringes
for Addicts Tested
(AP) — A needle exchange make clean syringes available
program in Puerto Rico is test­ at night outside the group's of­
ing a vending machine that pro­ fice in Hato Rey.
vides drug users with clean sy­
The vending machine pro­
ringes after-hours to fight the gram targets young addicts re­
spread of HIV and hepatitis C. luctant to seek help.
Drug users can get syringes,
Dr. Jose Vargas Vidot is the
cookers,
cotton filters, gauze
founder of Community Initia­
tive, the U.S. island territory's and sterile water to prepare
only needle-exchange group. drugs for injection by insert­
He says a single machine will ing a special card.
P rotest B rin g s 11 A rrests
Eleven people, including one le m ,” said p ro te ste r P eter
nurse, were arrested Thursday Shapiro with the Portland Jobs
at the R egence B lueC ross/ with Justice Health Care Com­
B lueShield head q u arters in mittee. "We are demanding that
Portland during a protest to Regence immediately authorize
demand changes to Regence’s any doctor-ordered treatment
insurance practices and politi­ for life threatening conditions
cal activities, and in favor of and that Regence stop spend­
single payer health care reform. ing ratepayer money on lobby­
The civil disobedience was ing efforts.”
The activists said they at­
organized by the Portland Mo­
bilization for Health Care for All. tempted to meet with Regence
“We believe that private in­ Chief Executive Officer Mark
surance companies which put Ganz, but were turned away and
profit ahead of care are the prob­ the building was locked down.
Ragtime feels more like a pas­
sion than a pageant...a trem en­
Jason McNichol first discov­
ered just how challenging navi­
gating the health-care system
can be when he took a bad
tumble off his bicycle in 1996.
T hen a do cto ral student,
McNichol was rushed to a lo­
cal emergency room at a well-
regarded hospital. But what
began as a seemingly straight­
forw ard case o f two broken
bones soon turned into a saga
of m edical errors, insurance
snafus, and a rare complication
that left his doctors helpless. A
year later, he still could not walk
and was in tremendous pain.
“I learned the hard way that 1
had to become my own advo­
cate to get the best care I
could,” he recalls.
O ver the next tw o years,
McNichol researched his con­
dition extensively, considered
alternatives, and battled bu­
reaucracies to see specialists.
With the support of friends and
family, he found another surgi­
cal option and worked with his
new doctors to wean himself off
crutches.
He is now ab le to w alk
again— unaided and without
pain.
The journey left him deter­
mined to help others. “I was
lucky— I was a m otivated
healthcare geek with plenty of
Oregon Health and Science time jobs at OHSU, with more
University has attracted $51.5 hires expected in the future,"
million in federal stimulus fund­ said Dr. Joe Robertson, presi­
ing from the American Recov­ dent of the local medical center
and largest Portland employer.
ery and Reinvestment Act.
The hiring includes study co­
“So far, ARRA funds have
created 116 full-time and part- ordinators, research assistants.
“ I would still be standing tffere
clappincfTf they wouldn't jlave
turned the lights off. Thank
PCS huge ensemble delivers
you fo r touching my heart and
impressively.”
my mind.”
IVeei:
Get Help Navigating Medicare
Stimulus Brings Jobs to OHSU
dous, piano-driven score, which
- W illa m e tte
visers offer inde­ by offering one-on-one support
pendent ed u ca­ to patients and families grappling
tio n , re se a rc h , with complicated medical condi­
and su p p o rt to tions and insurance problems.
free time and friends
help clients solve
Last summer, the organization
inside the system to
insurance prob­ was granted 501(c)(3) status
help me fight. Most
lem s, find and from the IRS as a charitable non­
patients and families
work effectively profit. The group's support ser­
don’t have these ad­
with providers, vices are expanding to include
vantages,” he says.
and
m ake in ­ workshops and online help. The
Jason McNichol
In fact, academic stud­
form ed h e a lth ­ first workshop, on how to navi­
ies have found that the degree care choices.
gate the Medicare maze, will be
to which patients and families are
“After completing my PhD, I held on Nov. 7 at Portland State
em pow ered to advocate for had been working as a program University, where McNichol also
themselves can make a big dif­ director on medical education teaches as an adjunct professor
ference in outcomes.
policy for a large nonprofit in in the sociology department.
Inspired by this and other ex­ New York. The work was re­
“Making informed choices re­
periences, McNichol recently warding, but I wanted to apply garding Medicare plans can be
founded Health Advocacy So­ what 1 was learning to help fami­ especially hard. Medicare is a
lutions in Portland.
lies and communities on-the- crazy soup of different options,
The independent organiza­ ground,” M cNichol says. “1 and most offers for help are un­
tion is dedicated to helping pa­ knew Portland was at the lead­ derwritten by commercial inter­
tients, families, and communi­ ing edge of health-care innova­ ests w ith plans to se ll,”
ties navigate the medical sys­ tion, so 1 took a leap of faith McNichol says. “Many enroll­
tem to get the best care pos­ and moved here to start HAS." ees don’t know that the choices
sible. Volunteers and expert ad-
The advocacy group began they make now will shape their
quality of care, costs, and eligi­
bility options for years to come.
"M y colleagues and I are
The local nonprofit group shop, professional advocates thrilled to be doing this work,"
Health Advocacy Solutions is will offer independent guid­ McNichol adds. “Right now,
offering an independent Medi­ ance, answer your questions,
few organizations exist to help
care navigation workshop from and provide you with tools
people effectively champion
8:30 a.m. to 12:30p.m. on Sat­ you can use to make informed
their own best interests in
urday, Nov. 7 at Portland State choices.
our rapidly changing health­
U n iv e rsity , R oom 269 o f
Registration for the program
care system. Trustworthy infor­
Cramer Hall.
is $35 with scholarships avail­ mation and support is hard to
M aking sound cho ices able for low-income partici­ find, and the burden of being
about Medicare can be diffi­ pants. Pre-registration is re­ your own advocate can be too
by
v isitin g
cult with plan sponsors beck­ q u ire d
much to bear when it comes to
oning to help around every HASolutions.org/upcoming or your own health or that of a
comer. At this hands-on work­ calling 503-828-1078.
loved one.”
lab technicians and scientists.
In a lab run by OHSU re­
se a rc h e r Je n n ife r L o ftis,
$944,000 in stimulus funds over
the next two years will support
new research and result in the
addition of a study coordina­
tor, research assistant and medi­
cal lab technician. Together, the
research team will work to test
new methods to treat metham­
phetamine addiction.
The stim ulus m onies also
support local businesses that
provide goods and services to
the university.
“C olem an's a p t a p p ro a ch p la c e s in the fo reg ro u n d n o t only
R ag tim e's Tony A w a rd -w in n in g book a n d score b u t a lso the
powerful vo ices h e ’s fo u n d for both m ajor a n d m in o r ro les.”
-T h e Oregonian
-Audience Member
“One of the most amazing and
powerful productions I’ve ever seen.
Thank you for a brilliant show."
-Audience Member
ON STAGE NOW THRU N O t L
Book by Terrene« McNally» Lyric» by Lynn
Ahrens, Music bv Stephen*Flaherty, Based
by E-L noctoWw. Directed
World class
wor
“A production that
Portland Mercury
A b ove G avin G re g o ry and cast in Ragtime Below Susannah Mars: cast: and Todd A H orm an and G avin G re g o ry in Ragtime Photography by O w en Carey
Don’t miss the Tony Award-winning musical!
D iscover the new rh yth m s o f A m erica a t the crossroads.
R agtim e has been the fa ll’s m u st-se e event!
Tickets are still available, bu t going fa st!
order online a t www.pcs.org/ragtime or call 5O3-445-37OO.
Gerding Theater at the Armory
128 N W Eleventh Avenue
Portland. Oregon 97209
50J 445.S700
www.pcs.org
Chris Coleman | Artistic D rector
Greg Phillips i Executive Director
I