Elliot Steeves-
The Association for Underrepresented Awareness (AUA) will hold a watch party for the documentary American Hospitals: Healing a Broken System on Nov. 15th from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. American Hospitals is a forthcoming documentary that will be available to rent on Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, and Vudu starting Nov. 10th. The documentary looks at how American hospitals have turned into money-driven businesses.
The documentary is the fourth made by the Unfinished Business Foundation, which dives into the economics of the US healthcare system. The CEO, Richard Masters, was inspired to create the group after his business saw rising insurance prices and, consequently, took a massive hit.
The AUA, the host of the event, provides education to Gustavus concerning those who are underrepresented and provides resources to explore different identities. The event will also feature an appearance from the Greater Mankato chapter of Healthcare for All Minnesota, which will host a discussion and questionnaire after the 60-minute film.
“[The Greater Mankato Chapter is] a nonprofit in Mankato that pushes for a more universal healthcare system,” AUA President Emily Sagesetter said. “A couple of politicians are on board with a bill that will improve this, and we are figuring out how to help people make the right voting decision in elections. This is a cause that we want to push for.”
Sagesetter hopes that the event will help students understand how to interpret the United States healthcare system, along with its many current flaws.
“Students will have to eventually use our healthcare system. This is a big issue, and a lot of students don’t know what they can do about it,” Sagesetter stated
Sagesetter also hopes that the showing will be eye-opening to people who will work specifically within healthcare.
“A lot of patients struggle with insurance and paying their bills,” Sagesetter said. “We want to show everything wrong with our current system, and how it doesn’t serve everybody. Everybody has to use the healthcare system eventually, whether they purchase it on their own or not. So it is good to understand the pros and the cons.”
Heidi Sezher-Bahr and Heather Banks, the Senior Health Specialists in the Career Development Office, were responsible for proposing the event to Sagesetter. They were connected to the Greater Mankato Chapter and proposed the collaboration as a way to get Gustavus students both connected and educated to a nonprofit doing good work in their personal field.
After the AUA shows the movie, the event will shift to the discussion, hosted by Judy Schultz and Edi Thorstensson from the Greater Mankato Chapter. The discussion will also feature Paula Meskan, the Chief Executive Officer of River’s Edge Hospital in Waterville.
Healthcare for All Minnesota, of which Schultz and Thorstensson hail from in Mankato, is a nonprofit dedicated to comprehensive and affordable health care for every Minnesotan. They primarily utilize advocacy and community organization. They were founded in 2004.
Students who attend and stay through the discussion will be entered to win a JBL speaker and a $25 Amazon Gift Card via name draw. When Sagesetter was asked if students outside of healthcare would gain value from watching the documentary, she responded with a firm “definitely.”