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Opinion Pieces Comment On Obama's Notre Dame Speech, Abortion Debate
Several newspapers recently published opinion pieces regarding President Obama"s commencement address at the University of Notre Dame. Summaries appear below.~ Cal Thomas, Washington Times: "Put aside the question of whether" Notre Dame should have invited President Obama to speak at its commencement ceremony on Sunday and "[f]ocus, instead, on [his] remarks and whether he is serious, or can be made so, about actually reducing the number of abortions in America," syndicated columnist Thomas writes in a Washington Times opinion piece. "Don"t put aside, however, the argument that there is only one reason to even want to reduce the number of abortions and that is that what is being killed, terminated, evacuated (choose your term) is, in fact, human life," Thomas adds. "In speaking of "original sin," the president hit upon why abortion has been so easily tolerated for so long," he writes, adding that Obama "spoke of "self-interest" and "crass materialism" but did so in the context of economics, not abortion." Thomas reports that Obama called for making adoption ""more available"" and providing ""care and support for women who do carry their children to term."" Thomas notes that Obama"s speech also included "an appeal for discussion and respect for people with different views," which was "a good beginning, but the ending is what counts, and the initial actions of this president when it comes to abortion and stem cell research have not been pro-life" (Thomas, Washington Times, 5/19).~ Tim Rutten, Los Angeles Times: After his commencement address at Notre Dame, "it"s now clear that the president is the rhetorical equivalent of a "money player,"" which is the "kind of competitor who steps up and delivers in the big games," Rutten writes in a Los Angeles Times opinion piece. Notre Dame"s invitation for Obama to speak at commencement and receive an honorary degree "bec[a]me an engine of controversy" because of protests from "reductionists," or conservative Catholics "who insist on bringing the broad sweep of Catholic social morality down to a single issue -- abortion," Rutten writes. However, Obama "negotiated the situation with remarkable ease," Rutten continues, adding that Obama was "speaking … to three audiences far from South Bend on Sunday." The first audience was the "crucial bloc of Catholic voters who seem to be looking for ways to remain in the Democratic Party," he writes. In addition, Obama was speaking to "those Catholic Democrats in public office ... who are under intense pressure from the reductionist bishops in their home dioceses" and to the U.S. Senate, which will likely ask Obama"s Supreme Court nominee about his or her views on abortion during confirmation hearings, Rutten continues. He concludes, "Even in Washington"s charged partisan atmosphere, it will be hard to ignore the president"s call for civility at Notre Dame" (Rutten, Los Angeles Times, 5/20).~ Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune: Obama "appropriately promoted" the "ability of adversaries to work together on mutual interests" in his commencement address, Page writes in a Tribune opinion piece. Page adds that the speech was "classic Obama the pragmatist: Look past ideology, try to ignore disagreements and work together on mutual interests." Obama said that "at some level, the views of the two camps are irreconcilable," Page writes, adding that it is "because Americans hold no values more dear than "life" and "choice."" Page adds that "[i]n the abortion debate, those values clash head-on." However, Obama"s "eloquent come-together oratory enabled him to leave the university like a hero, even though he glossed over the thorny specifics that drive wedges between people of goodwill when words are hammered into law," Page continues. "For now, by focusing on civility, the president apparently hopes to defuse the abortion powder keg long enough to address his higher priorities," Page writes, concluding, "The economy, national security and health care are going to be tough fight
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Electronic Medical Record Technology Uptake Faces Challenges

HealthLeaders-InterStudy, a leading provider of managed care market intelligence, reports that while health systems and physician groups in the Phoenix market seem to be ahead of the curve in adopting electronic medical records (EMR), there is a high rate of "deinstallation" wherein physician groups cancel their EMR contracts as a result of training, functionality or affordability issues. According to the recent Phoenix Market Overview, this trend is especially prevalent among smaller physician groups and points to the need for a simplified, affordable solution. The uptake of EMR technology in the Phoenix area and throughout Arizona is a result of a 2005 executive order by then-Gov. Janet Napolitano that all healthcare providers install EMR by 2010. The market"s top hospital systems, Banner Health and Catholic Healthcare West, have installed EMR, as have several other hospitals in Phoenix. Long-term benefits of EMR include reduced transcription costs, lower chart and file storage expenses and the potential for reduced premiums on malpractice insurance. "Because the Phoenix area has been a real leader in EMR uptake, this is the first market in which we are seeing this deinstallation issue arise, but it likely will not be the last," said Chris Clancy, market analyst with HealthLeaders-InterStudy. "There"s a physician shortage in Phoenix, so with overcrowded waiting rooms, it"s difficult for doctors and their staffs to carve out ample time for training on EMR technology." Financial issues are another factor in physicians opting out of EMR deals, as the system requires a significant financial investment and expensive upgrades. Such challenges are not unique to physician groups as hospitals are struggling with financial constraints as well. In areas like Miami, where the economic downturn is threatening the profitability of hospitals, uptake of EMR has been slow because of a lack of funding for such capital projects. Why Pharmaceutical Companies Need Market Overviews Market Overviews provide a detailed analysis of local healthcare market drivers in 87 of the nation"s most dynamic metro areas, allowing pharmaceutical executives to quickly gain local area expertise. Each report provides local-level insights into: health systems and hospitals, physicians, health plans, Medicare/Medicaid, pharmaceutical environment, legislation and employers. About HealthLeaders-InterStudy HealthLeaders-InterStudy, a Decision Res, Inc. company, is the authoritative for managed care data, analysis and news. About Decision Res, Inc. Decision Res, Inc. is a cohesive portfolio of companies that offers best-in-class, high-value information and insights on important sectors of the healthcare industry. Clients rely on this analysis and data to make informed decisions. All company, brand or product names contained in this document may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. HealthLeaders-InterStudy


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