Commission Convened To Diversify U.S. Healthcare Workforce.

Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Dr. Louis W. Sullivan, has convened a commission that will address the nation’s health gap by focusing attention on the number of underrepresented minorities among the nation’s health professions.

The Sullivan Commission on Diversity in the Healthcare Workforce, named for the former Bush cabinet secretary, is comprised of key health, business, and legal leaders and other experts.

“There is a pressing need to address the nation’s critical shortfall in training doctors, dentists and nurses who can and will attend to the needs of underserved populations,” Sullivan said. “Examining the education and training that health professionals receive is critical to efforts to eliminate alarming racial and ethnic health disparities.”

“Any ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court affecting college admissions will do little, if anything, to change the fact that the consequences of health disparities are grave and will only be addressed through sustained effort and commitment. This commission will detail that case to the American public,” he added.

Over the next year, the Commission will conduct field hearings in Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, New York, Los Angeles, and Houston. A final report will be released in Washington in the Spring of 2004.

Members of the Commission include:

Dr. Geraldine Bednash
Executive Director, American Association of Colleges of Nursing

Dr. Regina Benjamin
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Bayou La Batre Rural Health Clinic

Ms. Helen Darling
President, The Washington Business Group on Health

Dr. Patricia A. Gabow
Chief Executive Officer and Medical Director, Denver Health

Eric H. Holder, Jr.
Partner, Covington & Burling

Dr. Benjamin Muneta
President, Association of American Indian Physicians

Mr. Tom Perez
Professor and Director of Clinical Programs, University of Maryland Law School

Dr. Joan Reede
Dean, Office for Diversity and Community Partnership, Harvard Medical School

Dr. John Rich
Medical Director, City of Boston Public Health Department

Dr. Elena Rios
President & Chief Executive Officer, National Hispanic Medical Association

Dr. John Rowe
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Aetna Inc.

Dr. Jeanne Sinkford
Associate Executive Director and Director, Center for Equity and Diversity, American Dental Association

The Honorable Louis Stokes
Counselor, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey

Mr. George Strait
Vice Chancellor, Public Affairs, University of California, Berkeley

Mr. William Weldon
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Johnson & Johnson

The Sullivan Commission is funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and will be administered by the Duke University School of Medicine.