'Open Data' can help protect our Cities, Citizens, and Workers

I was recently reading a blog by Thomas Papagiannis on "Open Data and Financial Crisis", particularly with regards to cities.  It was a timely piece given the recent issue of Time Magazine on the bankruptcy of Detroit and a growing number of other cities across the U.S.

What I have read about cities that have declared bankruptcy, is that financial organizations and corporations somehow seem to get their money back in the bankruptcy proceedings. However, city workers who have put in 30-40 years of work and paid contributions to pension funds get the shaft.  

The argument is usually that it's too bad, the politicians either raided the pension funds to pay off the financial creditors, or they simply never put enough money into the pension fund.  Bottom line, no politician is ever held accountable and the workers – well, they get blamed and then are robbed blind. 

It's time to change that everywhere across the country. By taking an 'Open Data' approach cities, workers, citizens, investors and financial institutions can build and ensure:

• more transparency and accountability, clearly identifying when pension funds are being raided or are not fully funded by the government and its elected officials;
• more trust in our government and its elected officials, especially when they enter into financial contracts and commitments;
• citizens receive an early warning of potential problems regarding the financial condition of the government, especially fraudulent behavior;
• steps are taken to constantly evaluate and stimulate innovative solutions to improve the efficient and quality of government services;
• politicians are held accountable and build the will to make distasteful but required changes, by giving them reliable and 'transparent data' to back up their arguments in public.
• all key data is 'open' to the public and government watchdog organizations

Citizens! Workers! Local governments! Wake up.  It's in your best interest to enforce new 'Open Data' policies and laws. We can do better. 


* The White House has taken the initiative by releasing an Executive Order on Open Data Policy to be followed by the Federal government. State and local governments need to follow suit.

Global Health & Health IT Solutions for America in 2040

It's time. Let's revisit and discuss "Health IT solutions for 2040." 

Our attention has been intensely focused on EHR, PHR, HIE, and mHealth solutions that will be put inplace by 2020. But, those efforts are now well underway. It's time to shift the focus to 2040. See http://www.openhealthnews.com/blogs/groenpj/2010-09-15/health-it-systems-2040 …

As we look at potential Health IT system, we need to look at the subject of Global Health in 2040. What do we think the world will look like at that point in time. What issues will we be facing. We need to start connecting the dots. See http://www.openhealthnews.com/hotnews/global-health-2040-trends-challenges-and-solutions …

For more background material as we start discussing Global Health and Health IT solutions for 2040, see the following article that provides additional notes on the Future of Health Care in America: 2020-2050.  See  http://www.openhealthnews.com/blogs/groenpj/2011-11-06/notes-future-health-care-america-2020-2050 …

Share your thoughts with our readers on Global Health and Health IT solutions for 2040.

Iraq: The True Cost of the War may exceed $6 Trillion

The U.S. war in Iraq has cost approximately $2 trillion, with additional trillions in benefits owed to war veterans, rebuilding our armed forces, paying off the debt, and more. Expenses could grow to more than $6 trillion over the next four decades, according to a recent study on the real Costs of War completed by the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University.

The war has killed at least 134,000 Iraqi civilians. When security forces, insurgents, journalists and humanitarian workers were included, the war's death toll rose to an estimated 176,000 to 189,000, the study said. This does not include those that were injured or forced to flee their homes or country.

The report was the work of about 30 academics and experts and was published in advance of the 10th anniversary of the U.S. led invasion of Iraq on March 19, 2003. See http://costsofwar.org

The report concluded the U.S. gained little from the war while Iraq was traumatized by it. The war reinvigorated radical Islamist militants in the region, set back women's rights, and weakened an already precarious healthcare system. Meanwhile, the $212 billion reconstruction effort was largely deemed a failure with most of that money spent on security or lost to waste and fraud.

According to the report, former President George W. Bush's administration cited its belief that Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's government held weapons of mass destruction to justify the decision to go to war. U.S. and allied forces later found that such stockpiles did not exist. In addition, his administration estimated the cost of the war would be around $50 to $60 billion.

The forecasts for the cost and duration of the war proved to be a tiny fraction of the real costs. If we had had the foresight to see how long it would last and the cost in lost lives, we would not have gone in. There are major lessons to be learned here for future administrations, Congress, political parties, and the people of America.

Now that the war is over, the bill has come due. To pay for the financial predicament we now find ourselves in, some politicians are now advocating we simply cut social programs like Social Security and Medicare – pensions and healthcare for American workers.

What can we learn from all this as we move into the future.  How do we now go about paying for the Iraq War? Do we cut social programs and benefits for American workers? What other constructive alternatives should be on the table?

* Also see Reuters News -  http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/14/us-iraq-war-anniversary-idUSBRE92D0PG20130314

Quick Observations on Healthcare in the Caribbean

I've been on a great vacation cruise in the Caribbean these past few weeks aboard the Island Princess cruise ship. We visited Aruba, Cartegena, Panama, and Costa Rica along the way. In each port our guide gave us a high level overview of their country, their customs, the sites, and more. In each country the guides mentioned that they had 'free' healthcare for all their citizens - paid for out of their taxes. They seemed to take great pride in this and made the point that they knew this was not the case in the U.S.  The British, Canadian, Dutch, and fellow travelers from other countries all nodded their heads approvingly. My fellow American passengers were silent and seemed happy to move onto the next topic. It was just one of those strange moments that stood out in my mind that I felt like passing on as this wonderful vacation came to a close.

We are getting close to universal healthcare for all Americans, no matter how rich or poor. I personally hope to see that day arrive in my lifetime. I think we can do better. I think we can achieve what all these other countries have done and much more. I just think when it finally happens it will have a unique American twist to the solution - a solution that will contain a role for the private sector, encourages competition to treat patients, and increases financial compensation for those healthcare providers that provide the best care. I believe in America.

What do you think? Share your constructive comments on this issue.

The Dynamics of Opening Government Data

There is growing interest at all levels of government to increase access to and use of government data in support of good governance. To help them figure it out, governments are reaching out to academic researchers, industry, and citizens to develop innovative, cost effective ways to better serve the public. 

According to a white paper just released by the Center for Technology in Government entitled "The Dynamics of Opening Government Data", governments around the world are working to advance 'open government' principles and use 'open data'  in more effective ways to better serve the public over the coming decade.

One way governments are doing this is by developing the new policies and management practices that allow them to open their government data by taking advantage of the power of innovative information technologies (IT) coupled with efforts to foster increased public-private sector collaboration .

“If public leaders want to pursue opening government, particularly through the use of new technologies and information-driven activities, they need a good understanding of how the process works,” said Natalie Helbig, the lead author of the report.

The information policy perspective described in this white paper provides governments with a way to identify the various stakeholders and their patterns of interaction, and the flow and uses of public information resources.The white paper was produced by the Center for Technology in Government at the State University of New York (SUNY) in Albany.

This latest white paper, along with two other interesting papers produced by the Center for Technology in Government on the topic of 'open' government include "Delivering Public Value Through Open Government" and "Opening Government with Information", have a bearing on new and innovative ways governments can go about improving a wide range of government services in the U.S. and round the world – in collaboration with the private sector.

For more information about studies, reports, and papers produced by the center on 'Open Government', visit their web site at http://www.ctg.albany.edu/

COLLABORATION + OPEN SOLUTION = INNOVATION