Letter and Agenda for Fall 2004 Introductory Meeting
held on Monday, October 4, 2004

Dear colleague:

As agreed at the end of the SSU spring health care crisis conference, we are holding a fall meeting to follow up on discussions. It will be held on Monday, October 4th, in the SSU Commons (on the SSU central quadrangle) beginning at 6:30 pm.

We urge you to mark your calendar now and to attend that night.
Coffee, tea, and light refreshments will be available.

FIRST HOUR

After brief orientation and introductions, the large group setting will first hear brief reports on very substantial potential money savings and care quality improvements in Sonoma County through the following:

* Care utilization analysis becoming available, key data sets being
gathered, all toward more substantial and precise negotiation of health
care costs, plan design, and terms -a significant Data Project

* Significantly improved and coordinated illness and accident prevention, improved case management, and systematic community public health

* Goals of gathering stakeholders in collaboration, development, and
negotiations, including importantly having purchasers in the negotiations

SECOND HOUR

The gathering will break into smaller groups, one for each of these
topics (and, if requested, an additional topic or topics that members of the gathering may choose).

If the overall group is small, the group will stay together as a single
meeting group.

LAST HALF HOUR

A brief closing session in the large group will report on small group
discussions and planning and settle on a next large group meeting.

Most sincerely,

SSU Initiative on the Health Care Crisis in Sonoma County