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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Who are HCMC Network Members?

We are a network of people willing to speak up and educate policy makers and the public about HCMC. We are:

• HCMC patients/former patients and family members
• Physicians, dentists, nurses, paramedics, lab techs, EMT's, speech pathologists, dental assistants, counselors, and many others who trained at HCMC and/or who continue to access outreach training and continuing education through HCMC around the state
• Health care educators for whom HCMC is a highly valuable training site
• HCMC staff who share expertise and connections around the state
• Community members who have benefited from HCMC community education programs.

We all care about HCMC, its statewide mission and services, and its key role in providing quality health care, medical education, and cutting-edge research to Minnesotans.

What might I do if I join the HCMC Network?

Most importantly, we would like to connect you with policy makers for conversations in which they can learn from you about the impact of HCMC on the lives of Minnesotans. You can share your experience of HCMC as a patient or family member of a patient, or your medical education or training at HCMC, or your work as an educator who values HCMC as an important training site.

This conversation might take place in a meeting with a policy maker in which you and other Network members share your experiences. Or you may make this connection through a phone call, or a letter, or an email.

You may also choose to share your story on our Faces and Stories page or in a letter for our files.

In all cases, our purpose is simply to educate policy makers and the public about HCMC, whom it helps, and how it helps, so that HCMC can continue to receive the support that it needs to care for Minnesotans.

It's up to you. You provide your voice and experiences. It's that simple.

What will we do to help you advocate for HCMC?

We will contact you when we need your help or when there is an event that might interest you.

• For key events, we will send you information and an invitation to call or write or post a story.
• For conversations with policy makers, we will invite you to join with other HCMC Network members to meet with a policy maker. We would schedule the meeting, provide any necessary background information, and facilitate however it is helpful.
• Participation is always optional. You choose to join in a meeting or event or not, based on your interest and comfort level.
• You can always contact us with questions.

How can your voice help HCMC?

You can share your experiences as a patient or family member of a patient who benefited from specialty services at HCMC, because you are:

• A quarry diver from outstate who received emergency Hyperbaric treatment at HCMC
• A parent whose child received care in the HCMC Burn Unit
• A wife whose husband was flown to HCMC for Trauma Care
• A man who had a heart attack and was transferred to HCMC for cardiac care

You can share your experience of education/training at HCMC, because you are:

• A physician in Bemidji or Mankato and you did your residency training at HCMC
• A community physician in Aitkin and you come for CALS training to refresh your skills
• A nurse practitioner in Mankato and you trained at HCMC
• A physical therapy graduate from Mayo and you trained at HCMC
• A paramedic in Hutchinson and you trained at HCMC
• A fireman in Minnetonka and you received EMT and First Responder training at HCMC

You can talk about the benefits of HCMC outreach training, because Trauma Services sent HCMC specialists to your community (in 2010, for example) and you are:

• A nurse in St. Cloud who learned about stroke care
• A paramedic in Crosby who learned about burn care
• An EMT in Alexandria who learned about farm injuries
• A paramedic or nurse in Perham who learned about water-related injuries

You can help us build our network across the state, because you are an HCMC staff member and you:

• Have friends or family in other parts of Minnesota who have come to HCMC for emergency or specialty care
• Have worked with other health care providers and educators around the state who appreciate the services of HCMC
• Have expertise/insights about HCMC to share with policy makers

If you tell us who you are and what your HCMC connection/experience has been, we'll let you know what you can do to help!

What are some potential areas of future involvement with the Network?

Like the rest of the country, Minnesota faces tough budgetary choices. Health care costs are rising. As Baby Boomers age and the need for health care professionals increases, the labor pool is shrinking. Smart decisions need to be made for:

• Support of medical education and training, to equip health professionals to provide high quality health care across Minnesota
• Support of innovative educational outreach and special educational projects to meet demands on the health care workforce of the future
• Support of key regional services, like the Poison Center, to enable timely and effective treatment, prevention, surveillance, and smart use of health care dollars (I.e., for every $1 spent on poison control services, $7 can be saved in unnecessary medical costs)
• Support of community education so that injuries can be prevented and unnecessary medical costs avoided
• Support of increased health care access, so that Minnesotans can be healthy, get healthy, and/or stay healthy and health care costs can be reduced

These are just some of the topics for which your voice and personal experience may be used to support the health of Minnesotans.

How did the HCMC Network get started?

In 2009, health care funding for vulnerable populations, HCMC, and key statewide services was put in jeopardy. HCMC responded with a campaign – Will You Lose? – that highlighted its role as a statewide safety net. Supporters across Minnesota joined HCMC's efforts, shared their stories about HCMC, and reached out to their legislators to speak up for HCMC and its critical health care services, medical education, and allied health training.

The future of health care and funding for critical statewide programs and medical education remains uncertain, so our work continues. Make a difference in your community. Join Us! Sign-up today to be a voice for HCMC!

Will we fill your email box with alerts, requests, and updates?

No. We will:

• Contact you when we need to, regarding your area of experience/expertise and areas of interest you indicate on the sign-up form
• Post strategic updates on our News page.
• Send quarterly updates (Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer)

Do we want your money?

No, we want you to share your voice and your story.

What do you do if you want to change your contact information or withdraw from the HCMC Network?

Go to the Contact Us page and send us your new contact information and/or your message.