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Arthritis Conference

Kansas City, Missouri
January 19-20, 1975

 

CHARGE

THIS MONTH MARKS THE END OF THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THE SPECIAL ARTHRITIS
PORGRAM WHICH WAS INITIATED LAST FISCAL YEAR BY THE DIVISION OF REGIONAL
MEDICAL PROGRAMS, A PART OF THE HEALTH RESOURCES ADMINISTRATION, DHEW.
UNDER THE PROGRAM, A TOTAL OF 60 ARTHRITIS PROJECTS AFFECTING PATIENTS IN
36 STATES ARE BEING SUPPORTED BY 29 RMP'S FOR ONE YEAR IN THE TOTAL OF

NEARLY $4.5 MILLION.

THIS NEW PROGRAM HAS BEEN DESIGNED ON A DEMONSTRATION BASIS TO IMPROVE THE
SCOPE AND QUALITY OF SERVICES DELIVERED TO PATIENTS WITH ARTHRITIS. IT Is
PROVIDING EARLIER IDENTIFICATION OF THOSE. WHO REQUIRE TREATMENT FOR ARTHRITIS
DISEASES. IT IS ADVANCING EDUCATION FOR THOSE WHO EITHER-PROVIDE OR RECEIVE
TREATMENT, OR WHO ARE AFFECTED SECONDARILY BY THE ARTHRITIC PATIENT. ALTHOUGH
FUNDED BY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE PROGRAM HAS SOUGHT, AND RECEIVED GENEROUS
COOPERATION AND SUPPORT OF CONCERNED PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE

NATIONAL ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION AND, THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ORTHOPEDIC
SURGEONS, WHO ARE CO-SPONSORS OF THIS CONFERENCE,

THE NATIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONAL MEDICA, PROGRAMS,
THE INDIVIDUAL REGIONAL MEDICAL PROGRAMS, -AND

KEY INDIVIDUALS IN THE FIELD OF ARTHRITIS,

AN INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INITIAL AND CONTINUING DEVELOPMENT OF THIS

- PROGRAM WAS EXTENDED TO THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ARTURITIS, METABOLIC, AND
© DIGESTIVE DISEASES, AND AT THIS TIME I WISH TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR GRATITUDE FOR
THAT INSTITUTE'S SUPPORT DURING THE INITIAL STAGES OF THE PROGRAM'S DEVELOPMENT.
GJ ASSEMBLED HERE TODAY, WE MAY WELL VIEW OURSELVES AS A HETEROGENOUS GROUP OF

ARTHRITIS PROJECT DIRECTORS,

CONCERNED LAYMEN,

HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDERS AND HEALTH SPECIALISTS,

REGIONAL MEDICAL PROGRAM COORDINATORS,

_ CONSUMERS,

VOLUNTARY AGENCY REPRESENTATIVES, AND

AT LEAST TWO INVOLVED FEDERAL OFFICIALS.
WHAT IS IT THAT WE WISH TO ACCOMPLISH IN THIS TWO-DAY MEETING? WHAT ARE OUR
COMMON NEEDS? HOW CAN WE STRUCTURE OUR ACTIVITIES AND PROCESSES OVER THE
‘COMMING MONTHS IN ORDER THAT WE MAY, TOGETHER, BENEFIT FROM EACH OTHER'S

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CAN WE NOT AT THIS TIME, THROUGH JOINT ENDEAVORS, BRING INTO BEING A COHERENT,
COHESIVE, AND MEANINGFUL NATIONAL PROGRAM OF DEMONSTRATION ARTHRITIS ACTIVITIES
WHICH WILL MEASURE UP TO ITS INHERENT POTENTIALS WHICH WE ALL KNOW IT TO HAVE?
AS INDIVIDUAL DIRECTORS AND CONCERNED CITIZENS, YOU SURELY WILL SEEK FURTHER
SUPPORT T0 MEET THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE WITHIN YOUR INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITIES.

CAN WE NOT HERE COMMIT OURSELVES TO THOSE MEASURES AND ACTIONS WHICH INDIVIDU_
ALLY, AND IN CONCERT, WILL REFLECT THE BEST THAT WE CAN PRODUCE, AND WHICH
COMMAND THE SERIOUS ATTENTION OF THOSE WHO DIRECT THE RESOURCES FOR HEALTH,

AND HEALTH CARE DEVELOPMENT?
AS CICERO SAID, "THE PUNISHMENT OF THOSE WHO ARE TOO WISE TO BECOME INVOLVED
IN THE AFFAIRS OF GOVERNMENT 1S TO LEAVE THE AFFAIRS OF GOVERNMENT TO, AND

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THUS BE GOVERNED BY, THE UNWISE.*

_LET US NOT SHIRK, THEREFORE, THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS OURSELVES TO
DIFFICULT ISSUES -- TO TAKE THOSE STEPS WHICH GOOD SENSE DICTATES ARE
NECESSARY IF THIS SMALL, BUT POTENTIALLY VITAL NEW NATIONAL INITIATIVE, IS

NOT TO BECOME JUST ANOTHER NOBLE FLASH IN THE PAN.

THE FUTURE OF THIS PROGRAM LIES IN YOUR HANDS, WE CONVENE FOR COMMON
PURPOSES --- TO MEET ONE ANOTHER, TO MATCH OUR RESPECTIVE DESIRES AND OBJECTIVES,
AND TO STRIKE A COMMON CADENCE TO SUSTAIN COORDINATED NATIONAL EFFORTS WHICH

WILL ENRICH THE NATION'S HEALTH DELIVERY SYSTEM,

WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE NATIONAL HEALTH PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 1974,
THE FUTURE OF THE NATIONAL REGIONAL MEDICAL PROGRAM HAS BEEN CLEARLY DETERMINED,
AND YOU MAY NO LONGER LOOK TO THIS PROGRAM FOR CERTAINTY OF CONTINUED SUPPORT.
THUS, THE PRIME TASK OF THIS CONFERENCE IS TO BEGIN TO GENERATE, RAPIDLY, THE
FORCES REQUIRED TO THRUST THE ARTHRITIS PROGRAM INTO THE NATIONAL VIEW THROUGH
DEMONSTRATED ACCOMPLISHMENTS. YOU ARE THE VANGUARD WHICH CAN ACCELERATE THE
NECESSARY IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE HERETOFORE, LARGELY IGNORED

. ARTHRITIDES , WHICH ARE CALLED FOR UNDER THE NEWLY ENACTED PUBLIC LAW 93-640,

SPONSORED BY SENATOR CRANSTON,
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@ \ MANY INDIVIDUAL GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY AND
EFFECTIVELY TO BRING FORTH THE CURRENT SMALL, BUT IMPORTANT PROGRAM, WHICH
IS REPRESENTED HERE TODAY BY YOUR COLLECTIVE PRESENCE. ITS FUTURE, THOUGH
UNCLEAR IN ALL PARTICULARS, MAY BECOME VERY PROMISING IF, THROUGH THIS
CONFERENCE YOU START THOSE STEPS WHICH CLEARLY MUST BE TAKEN TO ASSUME
COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS FURTHER GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT AND EFFECTIVE-
NESS. I EXTEND MY SINCERE GRATITUDE TO ALL OF YOU FOR MAKING IT POSSIBLE

TO ARRANGE THIS CONFERENCE, AND TO WISH YOU WELL IN YOUR DELIBERATIONS.

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