To Build a Cancer Satellite Clinic or Not?

The following excerpt is from a case study in your Health Policy and Politics text called "Cancer Center Satellite":

"A major cancer center wants to open a satellite clinic several counties away from its main campus to make it easier for its patients to access its services without having to travel to the central city . . . . The Department of Health does not solicit the opinions of local oncologists who may have clinic or office-based practices and will also be affected by the proposed center. . . . The neighboring hospitals protest that their cancer treatment programs are the key to their financial viability, and if they lose patients to the new center, they may be forced to close down entirely. . . . The new facility would be on the border of Connecticut and near several hospitals just over the border and a large cancer center less than an hour away" (Morone & Ehlke, 2013, p. 211).

After reading this excerpted case study:

• Identify what your original response to this issue would have been prior to Unit 4.  For example, should the cancer satellite clinic be built even though it would negatively impact the existing large cancer center in Massachusetts?
• Describe whether your thinking on this issue has changed based on what you have learned (post-Unit 4).  If your thinking has changed, how so? 
• How can you reconcile the differences between your initial and new found perspectives?

Tweet, Tweet

Social media is an influential and interactive communication platform. Stakeholders and key government agencies communicate about key health policy issues via social media every day. Imagine that you follow several leading health policy experts on Twitter. Compose a tweet to influence open and collaborative health policy dialogue on a key public health issue of your choosing. Compose your tweet using 280 characters. Also develop a hashtag based on the key issue (for example, #obesityprevention). Clearly state the gaps in current policy on the federal or state level to address the chosen issue. In other words, what is the most significant need to positively impact persons affected by the public health issue? Note: You are not obligated to post your tweet on Twitter.

Response Guidelines

These general response guidelines apply to all discussions in this course. Please choose posts that have had few responses thus far and respond. Focus on similarities, differences, and insights you had as a result of reading each post. Include the following:

• Engage your peer. Tell him or her specifically why you chose to respond to the post.
• Seek clarification. Talk about what is unclear. Ask questions. Offer suggestions.
• Add perspective. Include personal examples or work experiences that add perspective to your reply.
• Be a practitioner/scholar. In addition to your personal or work experience, include one academic reference in your reply. Use APA style and formatting appropriate to the type of reference you provide.

For this particular discussion prompt, complete only one of the two response posts:  

1. You are not obligated to post your tweet on Twitter. If you choose to do so, start or join a health policy conversation. Take the tweet you composed and post it on Twitter. Gather the feedback you received from Twitter and share with your peers in this discussion forum.

   OR

2. Adopt the role of a leading health policy expert. Review your colleagues’ tweets. Select two tweets and support or refute your colleagues’ positions in a response tweet of 280 characters or less. Use evidence in this week’s readings or from other current scholarly and/or authoritative sources. Attach a brief video clip (maximum of 1 minute), an infographic, chart/graph, or photo in your response that further supports your findings.

Learning Componen