DOCTOR ENCOURAGES MORE HOSPITAL OUTREACH

Dr. Leland Kaiser compared humans to children in a playpen under God's watchful eye. They're given the building blocks of time, space, energy and matter, and then fight over them instead of using them wisely.

Kaiser spoke to about 900 people at St. Francis Medical Center's annual dinner at the Show Me Center Thursday. He predicted the future of health care and encouraged Cape Girardeau's two hospitals to figuratively share their blocks.

Kaiser is president of Kaiser & Associates, a firm providing educational and consulting services to the health-care industry. He is a recognized futurist and authority on the changes in America's health-care system.

Cape Girardeau has a unique situation with its two hospitals, Kaiser said, making it a potential prototype for the rest of the nation. To become that, he said, people must get out of the boardroom, doctor's office and administrative suite and go to where the people are -- in churches, schools and at home.

Once people are educated about good health, they will become sick less and pay fewer visits to doctors and hospitals. The cost of health care will go down.

"The failure of the Clinton bill shows we will not reform health care from the top down, only from the bottom up," Kaiser said. "The bottom line is that we are the problem, we are the solution and we are the resource."

Today's health-care providers should pay more attention to wellness and outreach programs, he said, providing full-time nurses for every school and perhaps even adopting schools and becoming responsible for the health of student bodies. Kaiser also encouraged medical professionals to go door-to-door in their communities.

"Until we sit down with every family and look at how they are killing themselves, make available wellness programs and encourage people to be more responsible for themselves, we will not reduce the amount of money being spent on disease," he said.

Besides sponsoring Kaiser's speech, St. Francis officials also used the evening to announce several awards.

Among award winners were retired Circuit Court Judge Marybelle Mueller, who received the Community Achievement Award, presented annually to someone who makes an impact on the well-being of people in the area.

Dan Niswonger received the Courageous Patient Award as a result of injuries received in a motorcycle accident while on duty with the Cape Girardeau Police Department.

St. Francis President John Fidler called Niswonger "an inspiration to all of us."