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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-03-15 Community Health Commission MinutesMinutes Edina Community Health Committee March 15, 2011, 6:30 – 8:30 pm Mayors Conference Room, City Hall Members Present: Jeff Bartleson, Kumar Belani, Matt Doscoth, Mary Jo Kingston, Jan Johnson, Mary Lavelle, Carolyn Peterson, Student John Beuerlein Members Absent: Julie Mellum, Admanl Qureshi, Student Francesca Sifferlin Guests: Marty Scheerer, Dr. Jeff Ho WELCOME & CALL TO ORDER Chair Kingston welcomed members and called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Minutes from the October 19, 2010 meeting were unanimously approved by a motion from Member Kingston and second from Member Johnson. GUEST SPEAKERS Dr. Jeff Ho, Edina Medical Consultant, discussed his role as a medical consultant to the City of Edina. Because Edina provides their own paramedic service, they are required to have a medical consultant. Dr. Ho is an emergency room doctor at Hennepin County Medical Center and has been Edina's medical director since 1997. He conducts monthly paramedic training, remedies dispatched emergencies over the phone and works with police officers on basic emergency medical training. He applauded Edina's "top notch" paramedics and strong emergency services, saying the emergency response time average is less than four minutes from time of 911 call. The ratio of medical to fire calls is 8/1 in Edina and new ultrasound equipment is now being used in the ambulances. Dr. Ho worked with police and fire to stockpile personal protective equipment for pandemic flu and during the H1N1 outbreak, he ensured staff was protected with vaccinations, personal protective equipment and personal hygiene reminders. They continuously work to improve response times. Marty Scheerer, Edina Fire Chief, praised Dr. Ho for the exceptional service he provides to the City of Edina as the medical consultant. Chief Scheerer works directly with Dr. Ho on many emergency situations as they arise. Edina employs 31 full time and 14 part time paramedics. Edina operates three fully equipped ambulances. Grant money covers some equipment and technology costs for the ambulances. Of approximately 4500 emergency calls per year, 3600 are medical response calls. Patients are transported to several hospitals, predominately Fairview Southdale Hospital, Abbott Northwest Hospital, Methodist Hospital and Hennepin County Medical Center. ELECTIONS & BYLAWS Chair Kingston asked for nominations for chair and vice-chair positions. A motion was made by Member Belani to nominate Member Kingston as chair and Member Johnson as vice-chair. Member Lavelle seconded the motion. By unanimous vote, Member Kingston was re-elected as chair and Member Johnson re-elected as vice-chair. Chair Kingston continued the meeting. STATEWIDE HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM Ruth Tripp, Health Specialist and SHIP Grant Coordinator from Bloomington Public Health, reviewed recent SHIP activities. To date, efforts have been focused on schools and community and now include activities in worksites and health care settings. They are encouraging worksite employees to increase physical activity during the work day by "Energize At Work". Local walking trail brochures have been developed and employers are encouraged to provide on-site exercise equipment for their employees. Future activities will focus on recruiting additional worksites and healthcare settings to participate in more physical activity and improved nutrition. An assessment of the Park Lawn area is planned to evaluate access to bike and walking trails, farmers markets and fresh groceries, and parks & activity facilities. The Edina Transportation Commission will study the complete streets concept. Child care centers are encouraged to increase physical activity programs and health care facilities encouraged to assess patient body mass index to address weight loss. Aside from organized sports, schools are encouraged to provide access to school facilities before and after school to encourage additional physical activity. For a limited time, grant applications for limited community gardens are available. HEALTH STAFF REPORTS Liaison Engelman briefed the Committee on: Public health legislation regarding authored bills to 1) deregulate certain food, beverage and lodging facilities, swimming pools and children's camps and 2) allow for sales of raw milk products by farmers. Passage of these bills would seriously compromise the public's health. A joint initiative for healthy living, physical activity and nutrition is in the early developmental stage and supported by the mayors of Bloomington, Edina & Richfield. The initiative will be based on the SHIP concept of policy changes. More information will be available mid-summer. SCHSAC report was unavailable. Bloomington Quarterly report was distributed. Announcements were made for the Boards & Commissions Annual Meeting, on March 21 and for a public forum on "Bullying" on April 26. City Manager Scott Neal request to have each board & commission discuss in general the idea of filming routine meetings. Comments from members were 1) filming was unnecessary, 2) filming should be reserved for City Council meetings, 3) members are serving as volunteers and are uncomfortable with idea of camera on them, 4) filming would cause a stressful atmosphere, 5) members are hesitant to fully participate knowing they are being filmed, 6) filming would be costly and an unnecessary city cost, 7) quite honestly, no one really interested in watching routine meetings, 8) post minutes in more timely fashion by allowing approval of minutes via email shortly after meeting, then post to web. COMMUNITY COMMENT None presented. OTHER BUSINESS Member Belani invited members to attend an event on April 17, 4:30 – 8pm, "Health Care – A Human Right", with keynote speaker Dr. Devi Shetty. University of Minnesota Center For Health Equity and the Hindu Society of Minnesota sponsor the event. ADJOURNMENT Motion was made by Member Kingston and seconded by Member Lavelle to adjourn. Vote to adjourn was unanimous. Meeting adjourned at 8:30 pm. ________________________ Sherry Engelman Next Meeting: May 17, 2011 ______________________________________________________________________ 2011 Meeting Dates: March 15 May 17 September 20 October 18