Speaker lectures on health care

Philadelphia Department of Public Health Commissioner Robert Ross spoke last night on the turning point of the health care crisis in the coming years. A 1976 University graduate, Ross is mainly involved with projects on teen health, cancer prevention, injury prevention and lead poisoning. Ross acknowledged the financial difficulty that Philadelphia as a city faces in regards to health care issues, but he said that this crisis can be viewed as a turning point for change. "Crisis is an opportunity or a turning point," he said. "I don't care what we've been doing for the past five or 15 years. That doesn't matter anymore. We've got to do things differently now." Currently, 80 percent of the Health Department's funds comes from state and federal grants, while the remaining 20 percent comes from the city itself, Ross said. "I want taxpayers to know that from every buck they spend, we're getting four or five from federal and state funding," he said. "We are really at the mercy of what is happening to the state and federal deficit." Ross pointed to the rising use of cocaine as a major cause of the problem. He said that in the '90s, the rise in diseases such as syphilis, AIDS, hepatitis type B and tuberculosis can be explained partly through a rapid increment in the use of cocaine. He said that the number of admissions for cocaine treatment rose from 87 in 1979 to 10,450 cases in 1989. "Our number one health problem is drug use," he said. "Crack cocaine has became readily available and viable." In addition, Ross said that he thinks crack cocaine alters economic cultures, especially among young children. As an example, he mentioned children who recycle crack bottles to dealers for money. Ross also said he thinks the increase of infant mortality in the past few years is related to a wider range of drug use, especially by the black population. "Crack cocaine is something that makes a mother forget to be a mother," he said. "It impacts on nutrition as well as make them forget about things such as an appointment." Seeking to alter the situation, Ross, on behalf of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health suggested ways to improve health care for the city. He said that the health department needs to expand programs that have been proven effective, and to improve long-range planning as well as grants coordination and management. The department also need to focus on community based health promotion programs such as parental care, he said. Ross further advocated that prevention is the most important way to improve health care. "I think this society and this generation is perhaps the most violent and addictive," he said. "We should not give up those who are lost, but if we are going to learn at all, we've got to learn early." Audience members said Ross' talk was informative and wish to see his ideas carried out. "It was a very good presentation, very interesting and lots of ideas are very sound," Wharton senior Tadashi Egami said. "Hopefully, they can be implemented." The talk was sponsored by the Health Care Management Department and the Center for Health Policy in the Wharton School, as well as Physicians for a National Health Program.

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