HARTFORD, Conn., September 30, 2008 — Physicians, care providers and other stakeholders in quality health care delivery from across Connecticut are urged to attend an important conference this fall to learn more about the impact poor health literacy and racial and ethnic disparities in health care can have on patients, treating physicians and other care providers. 

Jointly presented in conjunction with National Health Literacy Month by the Greater Hartford Coalition (GHC) for Quality Healthcare and Aetna (NYSE: AET), the "Health Forum on Health Literacy and Racial Disparities" will be held on Thursday, October 23, 2008, at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. 

An exceptional panel of speakers has been convened for this forum.  Stakeholders will learn strategies to identify and better manage patients with health literacy issues, understand activities occurring at the federal level to eradicate gaps in health literacy and disparities in health care, and also better understand physician liability in cases where health literacy or disparities in health care are an issue.
 
In addition to Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez and Scott A. Wolf, DO, MPH, Aetna medical director, Patient Management, Northeast Region, speakers include:

• Admiral Joxel Garcia, USPHS, MD, MBA, Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, on "Health Literacy at the State and Federal Levels;"
• Ruth Parker, MD, Chair of the American Medical Association Foundation Steering Committee for the national program on health literacy, on "Health Literacy: Can We Confuse Patients Less?"
• Elizabeth Neuwirth, MS, JD, Murtha Cullina, LLP, Stamford, Conn., on "Health Literacy Litigation;" and
• Mache Seibel, MD, HealthRock®, on "The Use of Music to Promote Health Literacy."

According to the Census Bureau, 12.4 percent of the U.S. population comprises people who were born in another country and 52 million people speak a language other than English at home. The 2008 Health Forum will highlight how these factors impact the delivery of quality health care.

2nd Annual Medical Management Conference will take place from 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m., and will include a cocktail reception and buffet dinner.   The fee to attend (waived for GHC members) is $59.00, and attendees may register on line at www.greaterhartfordcoalition.com.  Those interested in sponsorship opportunities should contact Rose Stamilio at (860) 714-6162 or at rstamili@stfranciscare.org.

About the Greater Hartford Coalition for Quality Healthcare
The Greater Hartford Coalition for Quality Healthcare, Inc. includes the Saint Francis Physician Hospital Organization,  Hartford Physician Hospital Organization, The Hospital of Central Connecticut at New Britain General & Bradley Memorial Hospital and Qualidigm, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for Connecticut.  Their mission is to establish regional, evidence-based approaches to provide quality measures and improve patient care, and education and health outcomes for the Greater Hartford Community.www.greaterhartfordcoalition.com

About Aetna
Aetna is one of the nation's leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 37.3 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life and disability plans, and medical management capabilities and health care management services for Medicaid plans. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. www.aetna.com