NPR: Health Care Execs Like Dems Plan, But Will Vote GOP

Health Care Execs Like Dems Plan, But Will Vote GOP

It looked like good news for Democrats. More than 600 health care executives who were polled at a national health care conference that just ended in Orlando, Florida, and 34 percent (the largest total) said "Hillary Clinton would be the best presidential candidate to most positively impact the healthcare industry." And they also voted, by a small margin over Barack Obama, that she would have "the most impact on empowering providers to deliver the best possible healthcare through the use of healthcare IT."

They liked Obama Barack's plan as well. He topped the poll when the executives were asked who has "the best plan to improve healthcare quality and reduce healthcare costs."

But when the group of 600 executives were asked who they would vote for this election, she came in third out of four candidates. Republican frontrunner John McCain edged out Barack Obama by a little more than a single point for top spot.

(This is one of those situations were all three campaigns will probably claim the health care professionals supported them.)

"We felt it was important to poll this select group of people, individuals who truly understand the issues and challenges facing the healthcare industry today, as to which presidential candidate they feel would have the greatest impact on healthcare," said Ralph Fargnoli, president and CEO of Beacon Partners in an e-mail. His company administered the "Beacon Partners 2008 Presidential Healthcare Poll" onsite at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Annual Conference and Exhibition that just ended at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.

6:00 PM ET | 03- 3-2008 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

Pretty much establishes that the healthcare industry is well and truly aware that they do not, as a rule, operate in the best interests of the consumer, doesn't it?

Sent by Steve Kite | 6:20 PM ET | 03-03-2008

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