Health care consulting, health strategy management and marketing communications, and healthcare policy analysis. Serves insurance, HMO, medical, consumer advocacy, foundations and other clients. Provides strategy, reports, articles and strategic implementation. Principal is Kathleen O'Connor, incorrect spellings include Kathleen O'Conner, Kathleen Oconnor, Kathleen Oconner, include Cathleen O'Conner, Cathleen Oconnor, Cathleen Oconner. Web site is oconnorhealthanalyst, not healthanalyst. Publishes the O'Connor report monthly. Author of "The Buck Stops Nowhere."

Section Contents:

A Challenge: Build the Best Health System

Judges

What You Can Do

Links:

Executive Summaries of Contest Entries

Contestant Bios

Contest Photos

Health Care Magna Carta

Special Contest Edition of the O'Connor Report

Contest Judges

Donate Funds

Contest Rules

A Challenge: Build an American Health System
The O'Connor Report is sponsoring a national contest to generate new ideas about healthcare reform.

We don’t have a health care system. We have a business-to-business enterprise. We think our “system” is a mess and is in an irreparable crisis. Something must be done, so we are putting our money where our mouth is.

We are posting a $10,000 cash prize for first prize. Bill Baldwin, CEO, Baldwin Resource Group is posting $5,000 for second prize.

The Contest was held on October 24th in Portland, Oregon. View the Webcast here.

Read the Associated Press article about the winners.

Finally, my estate will fund at least one scholarship in my son’s name—The Remi Miles Kaemke Making a Difference Scholarship—for the academic institution that provides the best student/collegiate entry.

The top three entries will be given to the Washington State Congressional Delegation to direct to Congress and we are making inquiries with other organizations and think tanks to continue this discussion and/or find ways to do a demonstration project.

See the January 27 Seattle Times article about the contest!

Judges

The O’ConnorReport will not serve as a judge. Instead we selected the following eight people to serve as judges for the contest. (with a ninth to be named shortly). Click here for details on their experience and qualifications:

Yes, we want to enter the contest!

What You Can Do

If you are as sick and tired as we are of the “game and blame” health care battlefield and the whining, you can do several things.

Donate funds to help increase the cash prizes. All contributions will be tax deductible.
Start talking!! Lead your organization or association, church or family in a discussion of what a system of care should do, what you want from it and what you expect of yourself and others for accountability in this system.

You must let Congress know you care about health care costs, access and coverage. Write letters to the editor of your local papers. Congress pays attention to them. Send them e-mails. You can find your Senator and representatives via the Internet: www.senate.gov and www.house.gov.

Or Download the Magna Carta and mail it to your Congressional delegation, governor and state representatives.

Health care business as usual is not sustainable. Join us in finding a better way!