Minnesota plays a unique role in the arena of health, with impactful political/cultural moments, and important contributions from institutions such as Mayo Clinic, Hazelden, UCare, among others. Over the decades, MPR News and American RadioWorks have produced a breadth of reports and programming specifically dedicated to the subject of health. This collection includes interviews, debates, speeches, and documentaries that provide greater detail to the many facets of healthcare, from both a local and national perspective.
September 13, 1974 - Midday presents a profile of Alfred Adler Institute and Adlerian psychology. MPR’s Gary Eichten interviews Ruth Katz and Bob Bartholow, instructors at the Adler Institute, about institute programs designed to teach Adlerian psychology.
October 4, 1974 - Tel Med, a telephone based, anonymously accessed health and disease information system available in the Twin Cities metropolitan area has been a popular development. People from all over the area can call up and access information on a number of diseases, medical questions, and doctor referrals. Discussion included as to benefits of system with Dr. Robert Gumnet of St. Paul Ramsey Hospital.
November 5, 1974 - Floridation amounts to "forced medicine" according to Jack Graham, the city of Brainerd's attorney on floridation issues. Dr. Keknober of Minnesota Board of Health supports floridation and says it's not harmful. Brainerd is fighting a state mandate to floridate all public water.
November 5, 1974 - The choice between two or more HMOs gives employees wider choice in doctors. In 1972 there was one HMO, now there are 6 in the Twin Cities area, 8 in the entire state, making Minnesota second in the nation in numbers.
November 5, 1974 - A proposed law states that any employer employing 25 or more employees should be offered membership in an HMO in the employees' geographic area as long as it's a federally qualified HMO. Presently there are none.
November 5, 1974 - HMOs concentrate on doing more procedures outpatient, saving money which is then used to improve patient care, says Ruth Stack, director of the Twin Cities Citizen League's Health Care Development Project.
November 8, 1974 - Connie Goldman attended a workshop of welfare workers, social service agencies and law enforcement personnel on the topic of incest. Goldman collected interviews from various members of workshop, and a speech from Dr. John Brantner of the Division of Health Care Psychology at the University of Minnesota Hospitals.
November 8, 1974 - Canadian doctor, Dr. Robin Bagley, talks about problems with Canadian health insurance plan. Says it doesn?t reward people equally on the basis of training or work. People on welfare would be written off. National Health has preserved this imbalance, How doctors are paid has little relationship to work and training, sharpens income gap between different types of health workers. Increases gap between those who are under national health insurance and those who aren?t. Assumption is that services are available to everybody; subtle distinction between availbility and accessibility. The question is if you?re sick are the services there. Unresolved dilemma, some provinces have more doctors, people in cities get more health services. How does a country decide how much it wants to spend on something? Caanadian government has not set money guidlines about how much money should be spent, obvious crunch coming. If you spend more in one area have to cut back other priorities. Speaks at press conference.
November 21, 1974 - MPR’s Dick Daly reports on protest in downtown Minneapolis over handicap inaccessible skyways.
November 23, 1974 - Rick Carlson, author and former researcher for Interstudy (a Minneapolis medical consultant firm), speaking on whether medical care has anything to do with health. Carlson spoke before the State Senate Subcommittee on Rising Health Costs.