David Finley, M.D., Memorial Colloquium
Educational Community Outreach Projects
"Let’s Talk" Discussion Series
Past Members’ Receptions
What is NYCCHCD?
What
Does the Citizens' Committee Do?
What
Choices Should We Make?
The New York Citizens' Committee on Health Care Decisions is a non-profit, non-partisan grassroots initiative providing an impartial forum for public discussion of critical health care issues.
The Committee's goal is to heighten public and professional understanding of the issues, and to foster informed participation in both our own individual care and the formulation of public policy.
The Committee has no hidden agenda; we seek only to raise issues and explore options.
The Citizens' Committee is a member of American Health Decisions, a national coalition of state citizen groups concerned with health care policy and ethics. The Citizens' Committee has no affiliation with government or any other interest groups. It is supported solely by individuals and private foundations.
Become a member, stay informed and support the work of the Citizens' Committee. Click here for contact information and a membership application.
Public Forums
The Committee sponsors forums where health care providers, attorneys, ethicists, clergy and other concerned citizens explore the issues. The forums emphasize dialogue in an open and impartial setting and encourage the expression of individual views. Topics range from allocation of resources and the doctor-patient relationship to terminal care decision-making.
Community Meetings
The Committee organizes meetings for local community groups and provides discussion leaders to help make the issues come alive. The goal is to help participants voice their concerns and values.
We invite churches, synagogues, schools, professional groups, businesses, hospitals and clubs to write or call to request a presentation. There is no charge for these Citizens' Committee programs.
Public Opinion and Policy
The Committee gathers and disseminates information from program participants, health care professionals, attorneys, ethicists and public officials. We also promote discussion of existing and proposed legislation.
Health care today confronts us with a host of bewildering contradictions.
On the one hand, there are the technological and pharmacological marvels that prolong our lives, restore our capabilities, and ease our minds.
On the other hand, there
are the social inequities, the ethical dilemmas, the
dehumanizing indignities, and the crushing costs inherent
in our health care “system.” As individuals and
as a society, we all face tough questions that need
answers:
- How can we provide fair and adequate access to health care?
- How should we allocate scarce resources such as organs for transplantation?
- How can we, as individuals, play an active role in decisions about our treatment?
- How do we decide about the use of life support systems?
- How can providers and consumers of care work together to improve communication and collaboration in treatment decision-making?