Healthcare Advocacy

Bridgeport Hospital played a lead role in working with local, state and federal legislators and government agencies to improve access for patients to affordable health insurance and healthcare services. The Hospital provided leadership in efforts to achieve a phased-in approach to changes to the Medicare Inpatient Rule which will reduce Medicare funding to the State of Connecticut and advocated for rationale health care reform which included increased access to affordable health insurance for all citizens.

• The Hospital held its joint Legislative dinner with St. Vincent’s Medical Center in January. The discussion focused on patient safety and clinical program enhancements at the hospitals, the difficult steps taken to recover financially from the tough economic years and the importance of maintaining current funding levels for Medicaid and other state assistance programs.
• The Hospital continued its support of the Bridgeport Department of Children and Families (DCF) Area Advisory Council. The group supported reorganization by DCF to create regional directors in the state who would have more authority to determine necessary services in each region, and supported the Bridgeport Area Director to be chosen as the local regional director. The group also advocated for an appropriate restructuring of the Emergency Mobile Psychiatry Service, which resulted in a much more effective program restructuring that ensured the continuation of this critical service, and participated in a Federal Review of the Bridgeport Office.
• A Hospital representative continued to co-chair the Health Care Council of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council. The council held a healthcare panel with key political presenters who educated the business community about healthcare reform and its implications, published a healthcare newsletter and conducted a wellness event for local businesses to introduce them to ways to encourage health and wellness among their employees.
• The Hospital continued its participation in the Bridgeport-based Primary Care Action Group (PCAG), which focuses on local issues regarding access, health insurance coverage and care for the uninsured community. The PCAG conducted a community needs assessment, sponsored awareness events during Cover the Uninsured Week to raise awareness of that important issue, and began implementation of a local Regional Health Information Organization that would allow sharing of key demographic and clinical data among all local provider for all uninsured and underinsured patients to better coordinate care, reduce duplicative tests and encourage patients to choose a medical home.