I heard today that congressional staffers are “punch drunk” from logging in so many hours working on health reform.  I am not comforted by that thought given they are trying to  write one of the most significant pieces of legislation in decades.  I am  wary of the urgent rush to produce something—good or bad—to show that Congress is not twiddling its thumbs.  Does the Congress really have all the facts?  Or are they also developing legislation based on minimal or biased information, evidence, experience, or truth?

 I would point to an opinion piece in the LA Times by Dr. Philip Pizzo, dean of the school of medicine of Stanford University and chairman of the board of the Association of Academic Health Centers, where he wrote, “Undertaking such an important shift in how we deliver healthcare requires a robust national debate.” With the members of Congress getting ready to say yea or nay on health reform,  we still have not had sufficient debate from all sides.  The nation has heard too much from those leaders who, as Dr. Pizzo says, “choose to rely on fear instead of facts to make their case.”

 Before the votes get counted, we need to hear from the patients who really use and have experience with the health care system as it exists today.  We need to hear more from the leaders of the nation’s academic health centers–some of the most experienced experts on health care in the nation.  Most are physicians who not only have practiced medicine for decades but also have had distinguished careers in academe (and sometimes government).  Most of all, they know what it means to lead and operate an institution, without which our communities–and the health system–cannot function. 

These leaders, who also include nonphysicians, can tell us about patient care, the impact of health on communities, the health and economic consequences of  having no insurance,  and the problems with the current reimbursement system.  They can tell us what it is like to run health professions schools–from medicine to allied health,   major departments at a children’s or other teaching hospital, or an entire teaching hospital or  health system–and what facilitates or impedes care delivery.  

Academic health center leaders are the people at ground zero, making sure that the nation can provide health professions education, biomedical research, and patient care.  They are sustaining the infrastructure that may determine the nation’s future.  Congress should be listening to these voices of experience and reason.

Academic health center leaders know what it takes to provide patient care and sustain a health system in challenging economic times. They not only know the problems but also how to resolve them.  Academic health center  leaders for example, will tell the Congress why we need to establish a permanent workforce planning entity or board so we can resolve primary care shortages and rural health problems–and  ensure the nation has a health workforce for the future.  

Congressional staffers—stop running on empty and get MORE input, advice, and recommendations from the academic health center community.