Chamber forums focus on health care issues, education

The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with the health care community, is now planning its fall 2000 forums on health care and related topics, according to Brad Bodenhausen, senior vice president of public affairs and communications for the chamber.

Bodenhausen said that these meetings have been going on for several years and at one time were held monthly, but the chamber committee in charge of the programs found that the sessions are better attended since being broken into a fall segment November, December and a spring segment March, April, May.

According to Bodenhausen, the Springfield chamber's approach to health care issues is unique.

"Other chambers that I know of have occasional meetings on the subject, but none have regularly scheduled sessions at set times," he said.

The committee working to find topics of interest and plan the meetings represents a good cross-section of chamber members, Bodenhausen said, including physicians, insurance providers and business owners.

The meetings provide a good avenue for people in health care and related industries to learn about important health care issues, and to network with other professionals, said Judi Phillips, vice president of medical and executive banking at Signature Bank.

"What I feel the committee tries to do is find topics relative to what is going on with businesses and their employees," she added.

Committee members seek a broad range of subjects involving daily life and business life. Anyone can benefit from the sessions, Phillips said.

She added that a variety of subjects have been covered, with many categories repeated as changes occur in such areas as legislation, insurance issues or new treatments.

Subjects being considered by the committee include issues related to the aging population and elder care. It is becoming more common for people to have to take off work to care for aging parents, Phillips said.

Bodenhausen said that inside the broader topic range of general health concerns, sessions have been held on subjects such as migraine headaches and pharmacy programs.

The first fall 2000 session will be held at 7:30 a.m. Oct. 19 at St. John's HealthTracks Center, 4331 S. Fremont.

The breakfast meeting will feature Dr. Bernard Griesemer, pediatrician and sports medicine specialist. Griesemer is one of the two non-Australian physicians invited to help care for the athletes at the Olympics this year, said Chance Potts, chairman of the chamber health care education committee and owner/partner at Employee Benefit Design.

Fresh from the Olympic games, Griesemer will share his experiences in Australia and talk about the dangers of drugs used to enhance performance.

Potts said the committee expects a big turnout of business-people to hear Griesemer speak about the drug enhancement issue. Many people have teenagers who may be directly affected by this issue, he added.

Bodenhausen said that the Nov. 9 meeting will be held at Doctors Hospital of Springfield at 2828 N. National, north of Kearney. The speaker is to be announced, and the topic will be urgent care.

The session will cover urgent care in general and why it has become an important component of the medical system, Potts said.

Although the date for the December forum has not yet been established, the subject of the meeting will be the Americans with Disabilities Act, with emphasis on regulation and compliance, Potts said.

He said the committee expects a high rate of attendance by owners of businesses large and small who need to make sure they are in compliance with new regulations of the act.

The meeting will be held at the Library Center at 4653 S. Campbell, Potts said.

"We've been fortunate this season to have three great locations large enough to accommodate groups of this size," Potts said.

Bodenhausen added that the meetings are free, and anyone may attend. Since breakfast is served , the chamber requests that people make reservations by calling 862-1625.