MPR news and documentary programming highlighting medical and political commentary on the changing landscape of American health care. Minnesota is not only home to Mayo Clinic, UCare, and Hazelden, it has been at the forefront of the health discussion, from the state’s historic tobacco settlement case to the idea of prepaid health plans (later known as HMOs).
Please note: Most content related to this topic that is contemporary or created after 2005 can be found on our main content pages of MPR News, YourClassical MPR, The Current, APM Reports, and Marketplace.
June 8, 1974 - Sub-committee questionaire sent to hospitals is getting no response and state that they are not in a position to give out information on the costs of healthcare.
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.
April 14, 1975 - MPR’s Greg Barron presents the documentary “A Matter of Life and Death.” Barron rides with a paramedic unit at the Ramsey County Hospital in St. Paul, and in the process records during a call to save the life of a heart-attack victim.
July 12, 1977 - MPR’s Rich Dietman presents “Wisdom of the Children,” which explores the thoughts, mindsets, and wisdom of children battling cancer and terminal conditions. Dietman interviews Dr. Lawrence Singher, who describes what he has witnessed from young patients.
August 13, 1979 - Midday presents “The Way to 8-A,” a documentary sound portrait on the involuntary commitment to Hennepin County General Hospital's Ward 8-A, a psychiatric ward. Program looks at the people being committed, those doing the committing, the staff, and the entire process of involuntary commitment.
December 23, 1980 - MPR’s Rich Dietman reports on immigrants use of traditional folk medicine. Inside the International Clinic at St. Paul Ramsey Hospital, western medical professionals are trying to better understand the different medical approaches and treatments.
May 13, 1981 - All Things Considered’s Gary Eichten talks with MPR reporter Rich Dietman about University of Minnesota hospital proposal to build largest hospital construction project in state.
May 22, 1981 - MPR reporter Rich Dietman details discussions on Veterans Affairs and University of Minnesota sharing hospital facilities and the unlikelihood of merger.
October 28, 1987 - Mainstreet Radio-Brainerd’s Rachel Reabe profiles Four Winds Lodge Treatment Center, a culturally based Native American chemical dependency treat program. Reabe highlights the annual sobriety powwow through various sounds and interviews.
February 8, 1988 - Mainstreet Radio’s John Biewen follows along doctor Alan Fleischmann in Caledonia, a town in southeastern Minnesota. Fleischmann practices small town medicine and makes house calls, something many in community feel are all too important.