California Society for Healthcare Attorneys Annual Meeting and Spring Seminar

Foley Health Care Partners Shirley Morrigan and Judith Waltz are speaking at the California Society for Healthcare Attorneys (CSHA) Annual Meeting and Spring Seminar, April 24-26, 2009 in Coronado, California.

Ms. Morrigan is speaking on April 24, 2009 from 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. with Susan Penney from the UCSF Medical Center. Their session is titled “Clash of Realities: The California Legislature’s View of End of Life and the Reality at Bedside. The law does not always keep up with the medical and ethical issues arising near the end of a patient’s life. The panel will discuss three new California end-of-life laws: AB 2565, Discontinuing Cardiopulmonary Support After Brain Death; AB 2747, Right To Know End-of-Life Options; and AB 3000, Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST). The panel will also discuss day to day actions taken by facility ethics committees.

Ms. Waltz is speaking on April 25, 2009 from 11:45 am. – 12:45 p.m. Her session is titled “Medicare’s Surprising Lodestar: Value-Driven Healthcare.” Medicare has a new vision for promoting high quality, efficient, patient-centered care. Ms. Waltz will discuss using payment incentives to measure and reward quality; creating joint accountability by aligning financial incentives for physicians and other providers; improving effectiveness through evidence-based and outcome-driven care; and promoting safety and transparency through informed decisions. Ms. Waltz will also discuss the role of much discussed electronic health records and enforcement risks.