Ideas is a series of special one-hour programs produced and presented by WVIZ/PBS ideastream®. Topics for each episode are guided by ideastream’s “Listening Project,” a series of surveys, town hall meetings and other community-focused activities. Subjects such as education, the economy and jobs, the environment, economic development, civic affairs, and health and human services are prominently featured. Each Ideas episode also serves as the keystone for a compilation of related programming on 90.3 WCPN, WVIZ/PBS and content on ideastream websites. The goal of this program series is to focus audience attention on an issue or topic of broad community interest. These stories, segments, and entire programs are distinguished by their depth and quality of journalism and the creative storytelling ideastream audiences have come to expect and appreciate.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Topics: Health
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Ideas: Community Health Forum
Airs August 27 at 9:00 PM
Re-airs August 30 at 3:00 PM

What’s keeping you from being healthier?  Not enough or no insurance?  Are you overwhelmed trying to navigate through the maze of doctors, procedures, and hospitals? Are you guilty of making unhealthy choices like too much junk food or not enough exercise?  These are some of the concerns about health that will be explored in a new program on WVIZ/PBS ideastream called “ideas: Community Health Forum.”

WVIZ/PBS ideastream is convening a panel of citizens from across Northeast Ohio to discuss and deliberate their biggest concerns about health in Northeast Ohio. The conversation will touch on a number of specific themes including cost, access, navigation, and personal accountability.

In June, ideastream organized four community forums and invited health professionals including providers, advocates, government and community leaders, insurers, and academics to discuss health challenges, assets, and priorities in the region.  Excerpts from these regional gatherings will be used to stimulate and guide the conversation among our citizen panelists.

ideastream’s Dan Moulthrop, host of Sound of Ideas served as moderator for the regional forums and will serve as host/moderator for this television special.

The goal of the forums and this television program is to develop a regional health agenda that can be used by health professionals and citizens as a means to improve health and wellness for Northeast Ohio residents.

Northeast Ohio is an area suffering disproportionately from lack of access and literacy on health.  In a region where more people are employed in health fields than any other, and there are a wealth of social agencies, foundations, businesses and government entities devoted to healthcare, the community should be stronger.  And as leaders in Washington discuss changes in the country’s health care system, Northeast Ohio needs to develop its own regional agenda.  WVIZ/PBS and 90.3 WCPN ideastream ambition is to begin a thoughtful discussion on the issue to better educate and strengthen our community.

Send questions and comments to ideas@ideastream.org.