President’s Visit Highlights Role of Children’s Hospitals in the Community
June 28, 2010
Posted by chcablogadmin in : Community Benefit, Healthcare Reform
Nationwide scored a coup last week when President Obama visited Columbus. Steve Allen gives us the inside story of his visit and how the President is looking to children’s hospitals to serve as leaders in improving the health of their communities in the coming years. — Don
by Dr. Steve Allen, CEO
Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Steve Allen, M.D.
Last Friday, Nationwide Children’s Hospital welcomed President Barack Obama to Columbus for the 10,000th transportation project awarded under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009. It was for a road expansion project and urban rehabilitation plan that Nationwide Children’s is spearheading in a neighborhood that borders our facility, in advance of our new pediatric hospital opening in 2012.
The President’s visit brought focus to work being performed by Nationwide Children’s outside the four walls of our hospital, in support of our vision to create optimal health for every child in our community. Neighborhood revitalization is not something for which hospitals have historically been recognized—but as America works to implement the landmark new health reform law, the role of hospitals is undergoing a quiet revolution that could transform our industry, our economy, and our country.
From 2001 to 2006, the U.S. economy added zero private sector jobs. By contrast, our health care economy added 1.7 million jobs. In many states like Ohio, which has seen the loss of hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs the past decade, lab coats are replacing hard hats as a symbol of jobs and growth. In Columbus, for example, Nationwide Children’s is one of the fastest growing employers in the region. Our expansion and the project for which President Obama came to Columbus will add over 2,300 jobs.
The President’s visit also highlighted the responsibility we are taking to improve the communities that we serve. We are past the days when public health officials alone can handle the flood of public health challenges facing America today, from obesity to diabetes to low birth weights. Pediatric institutions are stepping up as conveners and collaborators to address these issues in the community. At Nationwide Children’s, we’re also going beyond the traditional boundaries of health care to focus on ways we can partner with our neighborhood to improve the basic supports that enable children to reach their full potential—housing, education, safety, and economic development. Amidst the construction equipment last Friday that focus on children and families got the national attention it deserves.
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