Published on July 25, 2018 by Sarah Waller  
HEAL Social Graphic

Registration opens today for Samford University’s Healthcare Ethics and Law Conference. Hosted by Samford’s Center for Faith and Health and its Healthcare Ethics and Law Institute (HEAL), this year’s conference will take place on Friday, Sept. 7 and discuss the topic, “The Ethics of Access to Health Care: Are We Doing Too Much or Too Little?”

Designed to encourage dialogue about the ethical framework within health care, this year’s conference will feature three keynote speakers along with a panel of Birmingham-area health care CEOs and executives. 

The three keynote speakers include:

  • Michael K. Gusmano with The Hastings Center for Bioethics will share evidence from the World Cities Project, an effort he co-directs. The World Cities Project is the first research initiative to compare the performance of health, social and long-term care systems in New York, London, Paris and Tokyo, the four largest cities among the wealthy nations of the world.
  • Keith Parrott, the chief executive officer of Brookwood Baptist Health, a joint venture between Tenet Health and the Baptist Health System of Alabama, will speak on the ethics of access to care from a hospital or health system perspective. In his role, Parrott oversees Brookwood Baptist Health’s five hospitals, 57 health centers and several ambulatory centers.
  • Dennis Sansom, professor and chair of Samford’s Department of Philosophy in Howard College of Arts and Sciences, will lead a meaningful discussion of the biblical foundations of ethics and caring for the poor, which frame the thought process for many institutions and health care professionals.

In the afternoon, a panel of Birmingham-area health care CEOs will share their perspectives on access to care in our community. Panelists include Jason Alexander, CEO of St. Vincent’s Health System, Drew Mason, CEO of Grandview Medical Center, Keith Parrot, CEO of Brookwood Baptist Health, Tim Vines, CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama and Mark Wilson, Health Officer at Jefferson County Department of Health.

The cost to attend the conference is $50, which includes lunch and conference materials. Continuing education credit will be available for physicians, nurses, physical therapists, pharmacists, physician assistants and social workers.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 5,791 students from 49 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.