Symposium Will Explore Challenges of Health Care Reform

The University of Scranton will host regional healthcare professionals and students at the 14th annual Health Care Symposium on April 23. The University of Scranton Masters of Health Administration Program, a participant in the American College of Health Care Executives (ACHE) Higher Education Network, is organizing the event which will focus on "Reform in Pennsylvania: Challenges, Initiatives, Objectives."

"The goal of the Symposium is to educate the public on hot topics, patterns and trends in health care, and keep the local community up-to-date on health care issues," said Scranton graduate student Matt Thomas, president of The University of Scranton Chapter of the Higher Education Network of ACHE and organizer of this event.

Joel Ario, Esq., Pennsylvania's Insurance Commissioner, will deliver the keynote presentation. A graduate of Harvard Law School, he was the chief insurance regulator for the state of Oregon for seven years prior to his appointment in Pennsylvania. His top priorities in Pennsylvania are healthcare reform, specifically affordability and universal coverage, and the needs of older citizens, especially long-term care and annuity products.

James Burke, FACHE, the chief operating officer at Hahnemann University Hospital, will be the moderator for this event. Burke was recently appointed to the Council of Regents, the legislative body of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Other speakers at the event include Carmen A. Brutico Jr., M.D., MBA, FACP, chief medical officer, Moses Taylor Hospital; Paula A. Bussard, MHSA, the senior vice president of policy and regulatory services, Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania; Paul Katz, M.D., vice dean for faculty and clinical affairs, The Commonwealth Medical College, and Ann S. Torregrossa, Esq., director of the Governor's Office of Health Care Reform.

The symposium includes a question and answer session with participants.

The University of Scranton Student Chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives will award two hours of Category II continuing education credit to student symposium attendees who are part of ACHE.

The Health Care Symposium will be held on April 23 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. in room 407 of the Patrick and Margaret DeNaples Center

The fee is $35 for general registration and $10 for students with valid ID. To register call 570-941-4350