Bridget McCandless

Hunger is a major culprit in health problems

Post date: February 25, 2014 1:09 PM
Submitted by bmccandless on February 25, 2014 1:09 PM

By Bridget McCandless, President/CEO of the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City

A recent study showed that there was an increase at the end of the the month in the number of visits to the emergency room from low-income patients who had low blood sugar.

As a physician who treats diabetic patients, this increase doesn’t surprise me as people try to manage their diabetes with fewer food resources at that time of month.

Food insecurity means not having regular access to an adequate quantity of nutritious food, and it is a real problem for many in our area. In the HCF service area, there are approximately 230,000 people facing food insecurity.

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What are we willing to do on their behalf?

Post date: January 28, 2014 3:18 PM
Submitted by bmccandless on January 28, 2014 3:18 PM

By Bridget McCandless, President/CEO of the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City

Let’s face it – the weather recently has certainly been a detriment to spending time outside. That is why it struck me just how addictive cigarettes are. As I looked out the window during the polar vortex with wind chills at -20 degrees, I saw a thin elderly woman standing alone in the freezing wind, smoking her cigarette.

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Smoking, prevention and New Year's Resolutions

Post date: January 15, 2014 10:37 PM
Submitted by bmccandless on January 15, 2014 10:37 PM

By Bridget McCandless, President/CEO of the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City

It’s that time of year again when many of my patients are trying to quit smoking.

My job is only to be the cheerleader because I know that they have to choose to quit for their own reasons. I’m as amazed by those who set down the pack and never look back as I am by those who are willing to keep trying to quit, despite their relapses.

Patients tell me that when they give up their smokes it’s like saying goodbye to a friend, confidant and comforter. Some grieve the loss of their cigarettes, but no one ever grieves their ability to breathe better.

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Talking about life care with your family

Post date: November 14, 2013 2:41 PM
Submitted by bmccandless on November 14, 2013 2:41 PM

By Bridget McCandless, President/CEO of the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City

I was able to visit recently with some folks who are working in the area of Palliative Care. Palliative Care is the practice of specialized medical care for people with serious illness but is focused on improving the quality of life as defined by the patient and the family.

Palliative Care has been in its evolution over the last 15 years to use medical advances to make people feel better while they are recovering from or living with their conditions. It is finally becoming part of mainstream medicine.

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Kansas City treasures

Post date: October 23, 2013 11:35 AM
Submitted by bmccandless on October 23, 2013 11:35 AM

By Bridget McCandless, President/CEO of the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City

I recently attended the Grantmakers in Aging conference here in Kansas City. The Grantmakers in Aging, the host of the conference, is an organization that celebrates aging. The organization speaks of the importance of an age-friendly community — one where, as their website says, a person can grow up and grow old. They support the statement that a, “society that is better for older adults is a society that is better for people of all ages.”

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How our neighbor's health impacts us

Post date: September 25, 2013 10:21 AM
Submitted by bmccandless on September 25, 2013 10:21 AM

By Bridget McCandless, President/CEO of the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City

A Missouri Hospital Association report was released this week, drawing a stark contrast between Missouri’s counties.

Residents in Pemiscot County in southern Missouri suffer the lowest life expectancy in the state by nine fewer years than the next lowest. The Medicaid Transformation Committee met on July 31 in Pemiscot County and heard dozens of people testify on the impact on their lives from being without health insurance. There are 2,219 people in that county without insurance coverage.

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October launch of marketplace is an opportunity to finally afford insurance

Post date: September 11, 2013 11:27 AM
Submitted by bmccandless on September 11, 2013 11:27 AM

By Bridget McCandless, President/CEO of the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City

October 1 is right around the corner and with it, the start of open enrollment on the insurance marketplace. I know that this is important to real people—lots of my patients and friends at the clinic are welcoming to opportunity to finally afford medical insurance. There is of course some trepidation as people have to deal with new information and have to make new choices. There are so many people and organizations in the community who are putting hard work and great minds together to find the best way to help people with these choices.

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