Accountable Care Between the Local and the National Landscapes

Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2013 | 12:30-1:30 p.m. 

Whitewater Room, Idaho Commons

Presenters:
Rula Awwad-Rafferty - College of Art and Architecture
B.J. Swanson - Gritman Medical Center

 

Abstract 
The Affordable Care Act was signed into law on March 23, 2010 and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court on June 23, 2012.  It is now the law of the land. Now, our challenge as scholars, professionals, businesses, and community leaders is to design our shared future instead of trying to repeal or un-fund ACA.  Three focus areas of the national dialogue over health care are: protecting the individual, enhancing wellness and prevention, and caring for communities. Change creates many opportunities to make things better through innovations, collaborations and translations. This presentation offers a long view of the factors affecting our quality of life and strategies for how to get there.


Biographies
Rula Awwad-Rafferty is a professor in the UI’s College of Art and Architecture and chair of the board of the International Environmental Design Research Association (IEDRA). A published author focused on community-based design research and advocacy, she is an NIH Scientific Board reviewer, a general member of the Gritman Medical Center Board and a Moscow Human Rights commissioner.  Dr. Awwad-Rafferty also serves on the UI President’s Diversity Council, co-chairing the Campus Culture, Climate, and Continuous Improvement Subcommittee.  She holds bachelor’s and master’s degree in architecture and an interdisciplinary Ph.D.

B.J. Swanson is chair of the Gritman Medical Center Board of Directors.  A lifelong resident of Latah County, she graduated from Deary High School and the Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington. Ms. Swanson was the vice president of AmericanWest Bank in Moscow, retiring in 2011 after 46 years in banking.  Since then, she served as executive c\director of Latah Economic Development Council and is now the business loan underwriter for Latah Federal Credit Union.  She serves on the Idaho Workforce Development Council and on the boards of the Idaho Hospital Association, the Idaho Health Facilities Authority, Palouse Surgery Center, and Palouse Health Properties.