This video posted today on the North Carolina Justice Center’s blog, the Progressive Pulse, shows Dr. Atkinson and Adam Searing, director of the North Carolina Justice Center’s Health Access Coalition, talking healthcare reform.

Access to primary care has been a hot-button issue in health care reform.  WakeMed is pleased to announce that Monday marked opening day for Falls Pointe Medical Group, a four-physician primary care practice that greatly increased access to primary care for patients in Northern Wake County. 
Located in the Physician Office Pavilion at WakeMed North Healthplex, Drs. Michele [...]

I wrote the following article at the request of EMS1.com.  It headlined their Thursday newsletter, and I thought many of you would find the content informative as well.
EMS — especially the field care, transportation, communication and workforce components — is an essential part of the U.S. health care system. However, EMS is often out of [...]

Christine Craig is WakeMed’s director of government affairs.
Are you interested in what the federal Wake County delegation has to say about health care reform? Stay informed by checking their web sites.
“This is the best chance we have to reduce sky-rocketing health care cost for North Carolina families.”  Congressman Bob Etheridge
“Health insurance reform is essential [...]

WakeMed has been asked several times this week for comments on the health care reform bill, signed into law by President Obama on Tuesday.
Becky Andrews, WakeMed’s vice president of finance, spoke to the News & Observer about the legislation’s new reporting requirements for non-profit hospitals.
Dr. Susan Weaver, Senior Vice President for WakeMed Physician Practices and a [...]

Judy O’Neal is the Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Chief of Staff, Office of the President. 
Yesterday was a historic day for health care as the House voted to pass the health care reform bill that was approved by the Senate in December. We would like to acknowledge and commend the leadership of [...]

WRAL is airing a story this evening that will feature an interview with Dr. Atkinson explaining health care charges.  Here is some background on how this story came about.
At a recent Raleigh Chamber meeting, WRAL’s new General Manager Steve Hammel asked Dr. Atkinson to help him understand the charges he incurred after having surgery at [...]

Today the State Auditor released an audit of the Department of Correction’s prisoner medical costs.  WakeMed is a primary provider of hospital care for Central and Women’s Prisons due to close proximity, and the audit indicates that WakeMed’s reimbursement for these patients is significantly higher than Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement.  As a result of the audit, WakeMed received numerous [...]

As health care reform progresses, wellness and prevention must be a priority.  It is, and has been, one of WakeMed’s top health reform priorities, particularly as the obesity epidemic is a very real issue in Wake County.  According to local research:

70% of adults living in Wake County are overweight/obese
52% of children 12-18 years of age [...]

Christine Craig is the Director of WakeMed’s Government Affairs Department
One of WakeMed’s top priorities for health care reform is focused on preserving Medicare and Medicaid payments to hospitals.  Currently, individuals 65 years and older qualify for our county’s public insurance program, Medicare.  The federal government pays for Medicare services delivered by hospitals and health care [...]