Study candidates' health care views

There is a lot being said during this presidential campaign season. The challenge is to cut through the clutter and know what to look for in our next president.

With the Illinois primary right around the corner, health care could be overshadowed by the economy and the war. Clearly they are all important issues, and any decisions our president and Congress make about health care will influence the others.

That's why it's important for voters to take a hard look at where each candidate stands on America's health care system. To me, speaking from my experience of more than 30 years in the health care industry, it boils down to how our president would:

• Finance health care to ensure its availability and affordability for all Americans.

• Achieve the portability of health insurance to enable people to take it with them when changing jobs, or to keep it if losing their job.

• Employ measurement tools to ensure the health of America is improving.

• Promote healthy lifestyles that are essential to improving health.

• Seek data standards to enable every patient to own and control their health record.

• Make certain that America's safety net -- our hospital system -- has the resources to meet the growing needs of our communities

Our candidates for president have many issues on which to take a position, but let's make sure America's health care system remains high on their list.

Bruce Crowther

President and CEO

Northwest Community Hospital

Arlington Heights