HHS Secretary Appoints Advisory Committee on Minority Health

[The Straight Story]

HHS Secretary Appoints Advisory Committee on Minority Health

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt today announced the appointment of eight members to serve on the Advisory Committee on Minority Health. The committee will advise the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on improving the health of racial and ethnic minority groups and on the development of goals and specific program activities for the department's Office of Minority Health.

"Our goal is to eliminate health disparities and improve health outcomes for all Americans," Secretary Leavitt said. "The expertise this group brings will go a long way toward helping us meet that goal."

The next meeting of the committee, on April 25-26, will include presentations on the status of racial and ethnic health disparities, research challenges and opportunities, improving service delivery to better address racial and ethnic disparities, and the role of prevention in improving health outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities. The committee will meet at the Marriott Bethesda North Hotel and Conference Center, 5701 Marinelli Road, North Bethesda, Md., on April 25th from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. and on April 26th from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

Leo MacKay, Ph.D., Chief Operating Officer, ACS State Healthcare, Atlanta, Ga., has been appointed as Committee Chairperson.

Dr. MacKay is the chief operating officer (COO) of ACS State Healthcare in Atlanta. Prior to becoming COO for ACS State Healthcare, Dr. MacKay served as deputy secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs' health care system. As deputy secretary, he served as the COO of the nation's second largest cabinet department, responsible for a $60 billion dollar budget and 219,000 employees. Prior to joining the Department of Veterans Affairs, Dr. MacKay was vice president of Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. in Ft. Worth, Texas. He is a 1983 graduate of the United States Naval Academy where he was awarded the Secretary of the Navy's Distinguished Midshipman Graduate Award. Dr. MacKay's military career included serving as military assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense from 1993-1995.

http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2005pres/20050422.html

[aquart]

1. Anybody believe him?