Our Mission
The Gesundheit! Institute is a project in holistic medical care based on the belief that one cannot separate the health of the individual from the health of the family, the community, the world, and the health care system itself.
About Patch Adams
Patch Adams is best known for his work as a medical doctor and a clown, and he is also a social activist who has devoted 30 years to changing America's health care system. He believes that laughter, joy and creativity are an integral part of the healing process.
About Gesundheit!
The institute began as a group of twenty friends, including three doctors, who moved into a six-bedroom home and called it a free hospital. The hospital was open 24 hours a day and 7 days a week for all manner of medical problems from birth to death.
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Health Care System Design Intensive
Join Patch Adams MD in ...
Thinking Outside the Box: Re-Design our Health Care System
May 27-30, 2010
Olympia Community Center
Olympia, Washington
Health care reform: a step forward, or a step backward? ? If I'm at all better off than before, explain it to me? And what about all the stuff left out: compassion, listening, time? Is it still the Health sCare System?
The aim of this working conference is to seed designs of a variety of local projects that move the health care system away from the corporate-business context into models of compassion and service. Via speaker presentations and small working groups, Patch and his team of practitioners and teachers will show current innovations in health care system design, as well as teach concepts and designs that can be replicated back home.
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All stakeholders in health care systems are welcome: practitioners and students, health care support staff, patients and families, dreamers and organizers.
In addition, we're giving Patch a big birthday party on the 2nd night of the conference—Friday, May 28th—as that day is his 65th birthday. Country Joe McDonald (of Country Joe and the Fish) will supply dance music, as well as singer Shana Morrison.
You're invited to the party!
Co-sponsored by Gesundheit Institute and the School for Designing a Society
Cost: $300 for the whole conference; early bird discount to $250 (until April 15)
Place: Olympia Community Center, Olympia Washington
Time: begins Thursday May 27 at 3pm; ends Sunday May 30 at 1pm.
Speakers currently confirmed:
Patch Adams MD: Vision of a Hospital Based on Fun and Friendship
Martin Donohoe MD: Reading Literature as a Source for Activism in Public Health
Mark Enslin DMA: Teaching Composition Facing the Power of the Respondent
Carl Hammerschlag MD: Community Mental Health
Paula Murphy D.C.: Creating the Chiropractic Clinic of My Dreams
Susan Parenti DMA: Redesigning the Character of the Care-Actor
Suggested Readings:
Patch Adams MD: Gesundheit, House Calls; Vision of a Hospital Based on Fun and Friendship
Martin Donohoe MD: Stories and Society – IJCAIP; Using literature to teach medical students about public health and social justice
Luxury Medical Care – Ideological Debates in Family Medicine—Book chapter opposing the development of luxury practices
Peabody's Care of the Patient
Mark Enslin DMA: Teaching Composition Facing the Power of the Respondent
Carl Hammerschlag MD: Dancing Healers Theft of the Spirit Healing Ceremonies
Susan Parenti DMA: Re-Designing the US Health Care System & Re-Designing the Character of the Care-Actor
Registration deadline: May 1, 2010.
Questions? contact Kat at hci2010 at patchadams dot org, or call Susan at 217-344-1439
Accommodations
Governor Hotel: A block of 40 double occupancy rooms have been held for attendees at the Governor Hotel www.olywagov.com (360) 352-7700. Double occupancy rooms—at our conference rate—are $85 per night. The rooms will be held until May 6 2010 (three weeks before the meeting).
Quality Inn Olympia Washington: A block of 25 rooms have been held for attendees at the Quality Inn Olympia Washington, (360) 943-4710, http://www.qualityinn.com/hotel-olympia-washington-WA130?promo=gglocal. Double occupancy rooms are $75 per night, single occupancy are $65 a night, at our conference rate. Rooms will be held until May 20, 2010 (one week before the meeting)
Travel
The closest international airport to Olympia is the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac), which is about 1 hour away by car. (Portland Oregon's airport is approximately 2 hours away by car.) If you fly into Sea-Tac, Capital Aeroporter www.capair.com runs a shuttle that runs approximately every hour between Sea-Tac and the Governor Hotel.