What would you say to Obama?

President Obama and Congress are in the middle of a months-long discussion of how the rising costs and lowering benefits of health care can be stopped. On Monday, July 20, he stopped by Washington, DC's Children's National Medical Center to get some firsthand advice from pediatric healthcare providers.

Included in the seven-member roundtable session were a pediatric anesthesiologist, a nurse manager, a physician's assistant, an attending physician, and two administrators. Most all work for the DC hospital, which also runs the Child Health Advocacy Institute, using its Capitol Hill proximity to help better children's health via best practices and policy suggestions.

The roundtable hit on a number of hot-button issues. For instance, specialty shortages: there are enough pediatricians, but not enough pediatric neurosurgeons, to name but one field. And with both salaries and funding for pediatric subspecialties below their adult counterparts, there are real disincentives for anyone considering it. Other topics discussed included electronic health records and universal access.

What would you say to President Obama about children's health care, if you had the chance? Email us at cpletters@advanstar.com. We'll post the best responses.