MINUTES
DUKES COUNTY HEALTH COUNCIL
June 26, 2003
Chairman Tad Crawford asked for a minute of silence to remember Council member Marguerite Bergstrom who recently passed away.
Chairman Crawford then called the meeting to order at 7:45 a.m. on June 26, 2003. The next meeting was set for July 24, 2003 at 7:30 a.m.
Present: Marni Lipke Joyce Steward
Kathy Logue Sarah Greenberg
Dan Greenberg Jo Ann Murphy
Jacque Cage Mary Jane O’Connor-Ropp
Nancy Gilfoy Charles Silberstein
Cynthia Mitchell Sarah Kuh
Dylan Michael Dutton
Paddy Moore Cathy Brennan
Peter Strock Bob Tonti
Michelle Lazerow Jane Cleare
Ilene Klein Patsy McCornack
Chris Knowles Frank Case
Tad Crawford
Absent: Lorna Andrade Philip Hickey
Melinda Loberg Susan Desmarais
Sandra Lothrop Dan Seklecki
Ned Robinson-Lynch Kathy Rose
Beth Toomey Fred Rundlet
Bob Sawyer Tim Walsh
I. Primary Care Working Group Update
a. Ilene Klein discussed the status of the PCWG. There have been constructive conversations with Captain Jordan of the HRSA’s Bureau of Primary Care in Rockville, MD regarding the status of the E-MUP application submitted by Governor Swift on behalf of Dukes County. Captain Jordan indicated that the application needs additional information and as a result is not likely to be approved this year. In addition, Captain Jordan advised that she could not put our application on an “ administrative hold”. In stead, she encouraged us to withdraw the
application.
b. The resulting alternatives are either:
i. To allow the application to stand “as is” and risk rejection or
ii. To withdraw the application and refile it later.
c. Tad discussed his conversations with our counterparts on Nantucket, members of the Lighthouse Alliance Steering Committee and JSI.
i. Nantucket – Tad talked to three individuals on Nantucket who expressed similar reservations to those from Martha’s Vineyard. The impact of an independent Community Health Center had not been fully considered by the Nantucket hospital.
ii. LHAA --The discussions with the LHAA were difficult. They are unhappy about DCHC’s decisions to reverse the E-MUP application process. The LHAA is committed to creating a network of CHCs within the Region, beginning on the Cape. Nevertheless, in response to a motion initiated by Len Stewart, the LHAA Chair, the Steering Committee voted to honor the wishes of the DCHC and Nantucket.
iii. JSI was concerned that direct communications with Captain Jordan would threaten DPH’s support of the pending Dental HPSA application for Martha’s Vineyard.
d. Cynthia Mitchell discussed the LHAA process in submitting the application and how the communication process between the LHAA and the DCHC was flawed. Part of the problem was because the MV members on the LHAA Steering Committee did not attend meetings on a regular basis and those that did were absent on critical dates. The other reason was that LHAA members did not overtly pursue communications on MV. Finally, JSI did not communicate with the DCHC as they proceeded to prepare and process the application on behalf of the LHAA.
e. Bob Tonti then read the motion adopted by the PCWG regarding the Group’s recommendation to the Council concerning the E-MUP. That motion stated:
“to recommend to the full DCHC that the E-MUP application be withdrawn, in accordance with Captain Jordan’s recommendations, and resubmitted in an appropriate and timely fashion.”
f. Paddy Moore moved that the PCWG be authorized to seek a withdrawal of the EMUP and for the PCWG to submit to the DCHC by September its recommendations on resubmitting the application with a proposed timetable for doing so. The motion was seconded and approved with no nays and 8 abstentions by: Chris Knowles, Cynthia Mitchell, Peter Strock, Joyce Steward, Michelle Lazerow, Freddy Rundlet, Marne Lipke and Kathy Logue.
g. Communications - Tad Crawford addressed the Council and recommended the Council seek better ways to communicate with groups such as the LHAA. There was a non-voting consensus that the DCHC improve the communication with others, ensure full attendance at meetings requiring Vineyard representation and to seek reciprocal cooperation from our counterparts outside the DCHC.
II. Island Health Plan Update
Cindy Mitchell handed out favorable editorials from the New York Times and Boston Globe regarding an IHP “look alike” in Maine and the Massachusetts’ House’s plan for MV. She discussed the status of the MV amendment to the budget legislation. The budget is now in conference between the Massachusetts House and Senate. While the MV amendment is not in the budget Neighborhood Health Plan lobbyists are trying to have it added to other legislation enacted this legislative session.
III. Treasurers Report
Kathy Logue gave the Treasurers Report. The finances are unchanged from the previous meeting. She requested that anyone with outstanding bills submit them to her for payment.
IV. Minutes
Minutes from the May 1, 2003 meeting were approved unanimously. Minutes for the May 29, 2003 were approved unanimously, subject to the deletion of the word “all” in the statement by Jane Cleare.
Respectfully submitted,
Frank Case
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