Joe Avellone (D), Candidate for Governor of Massachusetts, Discusses Healthcare with David E. Williams

Interview on Health Business Blog with Joe Avellone, surgeon and healthcare industry executive is seventh in a series of nine podcasts with candidates for Governor of Massachusetts conducted by healthcare business consultant David E. Williams, president of the Health Business GroupFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEPRLog (Press Release) - Mar. 9, 2014 - BOSTON -- Massachusetts residents heading to the polls to cast their vote for the state’s next Governor can now visit the Health Business Blog athttps://healthbusinessblog.com/2014/03/09/joe-avellone-can... to listen to and read David E. Williams’ one-on-one interview with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Joe Avellone.Williams’ interview with Avellone, which is the seventh in a series that will feature each of Massachusetts’ nine gubernatorial candidates, covered a variety of important healthcare topics including: healthcare reform, cost containment, price disparities, health information technology, children's health, Hepatitis C, and more. Some of Avellone's remarks are excerpted below.On mandated nurse staffing ratios:-- "I agree with the idea of the staffing ratios that are inherent in the ballot initiative. The way to save money in our healthcare systems is not to jeopardize the safety of patients and hospitals by understaffed wards. It’s really to take the inefficiency out of the delivery system itself and coordinate the care more.”On the Massachusetts healthcare reform law:-- “The Health Policy Commission could have a more active role in ascertaining appropriate levels of care in these larger systems. They should continue to take on a vigorous role in taking a hard look at the cost impact of mergers as they occur in our systems over time.”On the rationalization of state agencies:-- “What I see are disconnects between our mental health system and our substance abuse capabilities of the state, which are in the public health department. Public health itself is pretty much divorced from health and human services. We ought to address that from an organizational standpoint.”On electronic medical records:-- "Despite the frustrations of implementing electronic medical records, they have a huge impact on both quality and cost of healthcare overall. Electronic medical records create the means by which doctors can operate and collaborate in teams, in which better planning for after-discharge of the hospital can be done.  It’s absolutely important for the future.”On Hepatitis C:-- "In my administration I’m going to propose widespread access to testing, perhaps even anonymous testing, like  was done in HIV to encourage people to get tested. We definitely need to have more widespread public education about this disease and more identified places for treatment.”Williams said, “I initiated this interview series to provide Massachusetts voters with an opportunity to hear Dr. Avellone and the other candidates provide detailed views on healthcare issues, which are so central to this state.”A complete, no-cost podcast of the interview is available for immediate download from Williams’ award-winning Health Business Blog at A transcript is also available.Interviews with Massachusetts eight other gubernatorial candidates will be uploaded to the blog over the next two weeks.For more information or media inquiries, contact David E. Williams via the Health Business Group (https://www.healthbusinessgroup.com/contact) or via Twitter (@HealthBizBlog).---###About the Health Business Blog:The Health Business Blog is an award-winning weblog written by David E. Williams, president of the Health Business Group, a health care business strategy consulting firm. The blog has published more than 3,500 posts and 100 podcast interviews since 2005. https://www.healthbusinessblog.com and @HealthBizBlogAbout the Health Business Group:Health Business Group is a leading strategy consulting firm advising companies, non-profits and investors in health care services, health information technology, and pharmaceutical services. Client service professionals average more than 15 years of health care consulting, industry and start-up experience. For more information visit http://www.healthbusinessgroup.com