Reflection by Adam Spanier ’12, filmand English majorI do not plan on becominga doctor, apharmacist, or anythingelse in themedical field, and Iam no expert regardingtopics likehealth insurance.Yet, the new healthcaresystem will affect me and everyone elsein <strong>this</strong> country.In today’s tense political climate of ru<strong>more</strong>dcomplete government takeover, socializedmedicine, and “death panels,”misin<strong>for</strong>mation consumes the media. This isprecisely why it is important to sift out all ofthe ridiculous rumors and myths of the newhealthcare bill in order to find some truthand understanding. And <strong>this</strong> is preciselywhy events like the Sabo healthcare symposiumare important.As a Sabo Scholar, but perhaps <strong>more</strong>importantly, as an ill-in<strong>for</strong>med citizen, I attendedthe Sabo healthcare symposium.Fortunately, the symposium panelists wereall qualified experts of health care; therewas no dumbing down or oversimplificationof the topic as is evident on the 24-hournews channels. There was a bit of in<strong>for</strong>mationI did not fully comprehend; however, Ican safely admit that I walked away fromthe symposium knowing much <strong>more</strong> aboutthe topic.Fortunately, it’s com<strong>for</strong>ting to know thatthe very people I will directly depend on <strong>for</strong>my medical needs were involved in <strong>this</strong> discussion—doctors,nurses, health professionals,and other people involved in the medicalfield participated in the symposium.Events such as the Sabo healthcaresymposium are exactly what <strong>this</strong> countryneeds right now. We need to stop arguingand have <strong>more</strong> conversations. Similar eventsare important because it will bring us togetherto better understand complex topics,and it will allow us to make <strong>more</strong> in<strong>for</strong>meddecisions in the future.Reflection by Khalid Adam ’12,economics major and Sabo ScholarSo just why hashealth care spendinggone out of controlin the U.S.,consuming nearly asixth of gross domesticproduct(GDP) spending in2008? Liberals sayit’s the health insurance companies’ greedand the government’s inability to containcosts and to regulate the employer market<strong>for</strong> health insurance.Meanwhile, conservatives argue that it’stoo much regulation, citing the growingbudgets of government welfare programslike Medicare and Medicaid. They also citeoveruse of healthcare resources as the mainproblem, making the problem of health carea “volume-control issue.” Despite these differingviewpoints, a few observations areunarguably universal:• The science of health care has advancedrapidly in the last 60 years, which has affectedprices of medical inputs.• The increased health costs, outpacinggrowth in GDP, have adverse effects onthe economic outcomes on industrieswith large percentage of workers with ESI(Employer Sponsored Insurance); <strong>this</strong> resultsin the loss of output and a de factoloss of jobs in those industries.• The current trend in the growth of percapita GDP spent on health care is unsustainablein the long term.Health spending in the U.S. has increaseddramatically in the course of the past 50years, from $27.5 billion in 1960 to$912.6 billion in 1993, and to a mind-boggling$2.4 trillion in 2008. It is projected toreach $4.3 trillion by 2017.To read <strong>more</strong> of Adam’s paper from hisresearch on healthcare costs, go towww.augsburg.edu/now.Reflection by Phong Le ’13 PAAs a first year physicianassistant (PA)student, I’m usuallybusy studying andspending any sparetime with my family.Thus I’m afraid toadmit I’ve not keptup with the latestnews. I attended the 2010 healthcare re<strong>for</strong>msymposium hoping to gain a better understandingof the re<strong>for</strong>m and how it willimpact my future as a PA.According to the HealthPartners presenter,the re<strong>for</strong>m will increase insurance coverageto 32 million <strong>more</strong> Americans. Thus,demand <strong>for</strong> care will greatly exceed the supplyof doctors. In addition, there is alsopressure to find a high value but low costdelivery system. According to Dr. BruceAmundson, these factors have led to a consensusof a team approach in which PAsand nurse practitioners (NPs) will largely fillthe demand gap while still able to keepcosts low.I was feeling pretty good about my jobprospects as I listened to the presenters.However, numerous questions began toemerge as I thought beyond graduation.How far will the trickle-down effect fromdoctors to PAs and NPs to nurses to healthcaretechnicians go to increase care volumewhile decreasing cost? Will money dictatethe quality or type of care I provide? Will Ibe <strong>for</strong>ced to choose between quantity andquality daily?I left the symposium with <strong>more</strong> questionsthan answers. One thing I do know <strong>for</strong>sure is that the re<strong>for</strong>m will happen whetherwe like it or not, and I believe that anymovement toward increased access to careis great. However we should proceed withcaution and responsibility to ensure wedon’t compromise the quality of care in theprocess. This drives me to stay in<strong>for</strong>medand involved so that, hopefully, we PAs as agroup can help to shape and guide <strong>this</strong> inevitablehealth re<strong>for</strong>m.EALTHCARE24 <strong>Augsburg</strong> Now
Celebrating ourSUCCESSBY WENDI WHEELER ’06At <strong>Augsburg</strong> <strong>College</strong>, we don’t have a lot of traditions.Sure, we have Homecoming every year, and we’ve marked theholiday season with Advent Vespers <strong>for</strong> the past 30 years.But there’s no annual canceling of classes so that studentscan go to a local park to hear bands and eat bratwurst.President Pribbenow doesn’t trade places with a student <strong>for</strong> aday every year. And though we have some important athleticrivalries, none are so longstanding that the matchups attractfans far and wide.There is one thing, however, that <strong>Augsburg</strong> has done quitewell <strong>for</strong> a long time: we are very adept at the Lutheran Scandinavianpractice of not boasting about our accomplishments.Now, after years of celebrating achievements with an occasionalinternal announcement or a round of applause duringdaily chapel, we’ve decided it is time <strong>for</strong> our practice ofhumility to change.Fall 201025
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