Gov. Sonny Perdue by Jennifer A. Morrell Photography by Allen Gunn As governor of a 159-county state that is constantly growing in population and changing in stature, Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue has never had a small job on his hands. Healthcare issues plague every city, state and country. Georgia is no different, although its citizens do have access to some of the best healthcare available in the country. Georgia Physician sat down with Perdue to learn of his ideas about and perspectives on healthcare in Georgia. Georgia Physician: As you address issues affecting Georgia residents, how heavily does healthcare weigh on your agenda? Are healthcare issues as abundant as you'd have guessed them to be when you took the office of governor? Gov. Sonny Perdue: Healthcare is one of my top priorities for several reasons. First, many of Georgia's citizens have a type of chronic illnesses that is preventable and treatable. This is precisely why I launched the ÒLive Healthy GeorgiaÓ campaign in March of this year. I think it is important to get out in front of these illnesses and increase public awareness of the ways Georgians can live healthier lives. State spending on healthcare is rising at an alarming rate, so our prevention and care-management efforts are important. We don't expect to eliminate services. Instead, my goal is to slow the trend of increased spending. Before becoming governor, I spent 11 years in the Georgia General Assembly serving in the state Senate, so I was very familiar with the complicated healthcare issues facing Georgia. GP: What are your thoughts regarding medical malpractice reform? Do you see a benefit and increased quality of care if malpractice reform is set into motion? Perdue: Partly because I started out my career as a veterinarian, I learned to address public policy issues like I would render a diagnosis. Every issue has root causes and symptoms, and the problem of rising healthcare costs is no exception. Hospitals and other healthcare providers in this state have been negatively impacted by rising costs in liability insurance due to frivolous lawsuits. These rising costs have forced many healthcare providers to leave their practices, especially in rural areas of the state and among OB-GYN providers. The results have been a reduction in access to healthcare services, and an adverse impact on the health and well-being of the citizens of this state. I was anxious to see what kind of malpractice reform legislation the 2005 General Assembly would produce. We did a lot of research on what was working in other states on medical malpractice reform. In the end, I was comfortable that SB 3, which I signed in February, contained the things that worked and was as equitable as possible. My hope is that by lowering the cost of healthcare liability insurance, these reforms will benefit both doctors and patients. GP: What are the key challenges Georgia is facing regarding healthcare, and how are we working toward solutions? Perdue: From a macro perspective, it is important to gather enough information to ensure we make wise decisions and are not wasting precious state resources. More specific challenges include improving healthcare outcomes for chronic diseases and developing a Medicaid system where patients and doctors are making decisions about healthcare. It is a challenge to ensure that the state is not providing services in a way that is more expensive than necessary to achieve quality results. Another specific challenge is for Georgia to begin building partnerships with local communities to strengthen the state's trauma care system. GP: What is Georgia doing right regarding healthcare? How is our state setting good examples for others in the healthcare arena? Perdue: There are several areas where Georgia is making excellent strides in healthcare. One example is Georgia's neonatal units. The men and women who work in these units positively impact the lives of many families on a daily basis. Georgia also is doing very good work with its seniors and children. We are educating our seniors about the need to plan for long-term care, thereby making them healthier and happier in their later years, surrounded by their families. Georgia's PeachCare (SCHIP) program is a national leader in enrollment and provides a benefit package that is making thousands of Georgia's children healthier. GP: Obesity has been a scare nationwide in adults and children. What are your views on obesity as it affects Georgians? Perdue: I think it's important that children learn early on to make responsible choices about healthy eating and exercise habits. We are working hard to get the message out that each person needs to take personal responsibility for living a healthy life. We are partnering with schools and private industry to help Georgians in this effort, and I think our work will result in good outcomes. According to the Georgia Department of Human Resources (DHR), in 2003, chronic diseases, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes, claimed the lives of nearly 38,000 Georgians, accounting for approximately 56 percent of total deaths. Studies have shown that some chronic diseases like these are preventable. Making healthy lifestyle choices, such as getting regular physical activity, having recommended health screenings, quitting tobacco use and eating a nutritious diet can reduce the risk of developing some cancers, diabetes and heart disease. The Live Healthy Georgia campaign, which we launched on March 21, focuses on improving the health outcomes for Georgia citizens through activities that promote healthy eating, physical activity, smoking cessation, health screening and mental wellness. GP: Talk about the importance of technology in medicine today from both a practice/treatment and an economic development perspective. Perdue: I think using technology in medicine will improve the quality of healthcare overall, because it has so many applications. I have seen firsthand the advanced technology systems of some Georgia hospitals that allow doctors to be aware of a patient's past medical procedures, testing, lab work and allergies the moment the patient walks in the door of the hospital for treatment. Technology that improves access to patient information is cost efficient and, ultimately, saves lives by reducing medical errors. GP: Georgia has been recognized for developments and research in the area of life sciences. Why is this important to the future of our state? Perdue: The state of Georgia will benefit from life science research because developments in this industry will directly improve healthcare delivery. The growth of the life sciences industry in Georgia is providing young people the opportunity to become leaders in this dynamic field without ever leaving the state of Georgia. These institutions draw some of the brightest people from around the country to our state, strengthening our communities and adding to our local and state economies. GP: How beneficial is it on both a healthcare and an economical level for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to be located right here in Georgia? Perdue: The CDC works in a partnership with the Department of Human Resources (DHR) Division of Public Health on many healthcare projects. This partnership provides invaluable direction for our state in critical areas, such as reducing obesity, chronic illness and infectious disease.

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