Candidate for
Board Member; Tri-City Healthcare District

Ms. Sterling, native Californian and fifth generation San Diegan, attended local schools and graduated from Helix High School in La Mesa during the turbulent sixties. A personal life changing experience catapulted Kathleen to stand up and make a difference.

She began to EDUCATE CONSUMERS about their RIGHTS and PROTECTIONS in an effort to make POSITIVE CHANGES at the local welfare office where both health and welfare policies were inconsistent with federal and state rules and regulations. The San Diego County Welfare Rights Organization was in its infancy and growing. Soon thereafter, the County Board of Supervisors appointed Kathleen to the County Headstart Parent Policy Council. She never forgot why she was on the Council and the parents and children for whom she represented.

Since those early days, Ms. Sterling life's work has been to continue to bring CONSUMERS' VOICES, CONCERNS, CONFIDENCE AND VALUES before the various federal, state, regional and local boards and committees she has been appointed. Health and medical care professionals along with county health officers have traditionally dominated these committee appointments often times with her being one of two or three persons to ADVOCATE for CONSUMERS.

Over the years, Kathleen has earned the respect of those who are health and medical care professionals, academicians, activists, county health and welfare officers, legislatures with bipartisan efforts to improve the health delivery system. All the while, Kathleen has never abandoned her MORAL CODE of WHAT IS RIGHT in the PLIGHT OF THE PEOPLE to obtain AFFORDABLE and ACCESSIBLE health and medical care services.

Very early in her career of CONSUMER ADVOCACY, Ms. Sterling's work was acknowledged. She founded, directed, and developed a California, GRASSROOTS-ADVOCACY, and CONSUMER-EDUCATION ORGANIZATION. This organization received, under the Carter Administration, Esther Peterson, Director, Department of Consumer Affairs special recognition for its grassroots organizational structure, development and effectiveness as a "Model Advocacy & Community Education Organization."

Over the years, Ms. Sterling continued to help people as an "AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE" at administrative entitlement hearings. She has educated, audited and provided technical assistance to health providers to ensure their COMPLIANCE with MEDICARE, MEDI-CAL, and 3rd PARTY REIMBURSEMENT and MANAGED CARE programs. OUTCOMES resulted in PROVIDER FULFILLMENT and delivery of public health and medical care services.

Ms. Sterling was called upon by the federal government to assess California's interpretation and implementation of the MEDICARE and MEDICAID legislation to ensure California's COMPLIANCE with FEDERAL RULES and REGULATIONS in respect to THIRD PARTY REIMBURSEMENT CONTRACTS. Her research findings assisted the Department to provide technical assistance to health providers enabling the Department to ensure access to medical care for all healthcare CONSUMERS, including the MOST DISADVANTAGED POPULATIONS.

During this period, Ms. Sterling was contacted and asked by California's Governor to consider an appointment by Ms. Beverlee Myers, Director of Department of Health Services to represent CONSUMERS on the Advisory Committee of Health and Medical Care Services (federal Medicaid mandate).

The purpose of the Committee was to make recommendations to the Department on the Medi-Cal program including prepaid health plans in the following areas of concerns: 1) Policy development and program administration; 2) Proposed legislation; 3) Specific program activities and problems in local jurisdictions; and 4) Program improvements.

Kathleen Sterling did not turn away from an opportunity that she believed when CALLED UPON BY THE PEOPLE, she could indeed MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

A single parent, who at times would bring her daughter with her to the meetings in order to fulfill her COMMITMENT TO THE PEOPLE, Kathleen maintained PERFECT ATTENDANCE. "The issues are too great for CONSUMERS not to have a VOICE."

Reflecting, Kathleen says, "Often times the meeting rooms are filled with health and medical care providers from all sectors of the industry but more often than not very few CONSUMERS or CONSUMER organizations are in attendance." In addition to her role on the Advisory Committee she represented CONSUMERS on its standing subcommittees: Alternative Health Delivery Systems, Long Term Care, Medical Data, and Finance.

Her leadership representing CONSUMERS guided the state's effort to restructure California's health delivery system in 1982 known as "Medi-Cal Reform."

Subsequent to these events, Ms. Sterling received a full tuition grant based on her life achievements as a "New Resources" returning student to attend Pitzer College. This opportunity afforded her to continue her research and work for CONSUMERS in HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION and PUBLIC POLICY. During her attendance at the Claremont Colleges, she met her undergraduate requirements by completing course work at Pomona College, Claremont McKenna College, and Scripps College and received special permission to take courses at the Peter F. Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate School.

Since she received her Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Studies Ms. Sterling has not stood idol watching the crumble of the health system. She has continued her commitment to CONSUMERS by bringing expertise to assist various county, state, regional and federal agencies as well as non-profit and for-profit organizations as a Consultant in the healthcare field. Her research and findings have been presented before appropriate settings. Sterling has been recognized for her leadership, commitment, and dedication for bringing the VOICE OF CONSUMERS to the table FOR POSITIVE CHANGE. A partial list of Kathleen's accomplishments follows:

• Lead team member performed the first consumer evaluation of pre and post MediCal contract(s), on-site audit of general acute care facilities' compliance with federal and state rules and regulations.

• Health planner analyzed eight counties regional demographics to forecast healthcare needs and level of services; Examined Project Review Health Facilities Development & Expansion for compliance; Introduced accepted recommendations to assure access and maintain quality health care in designated service areas.

• Worked closely with the U.S. Department of Health and Office of Civil Rights Regions VI and IX, southern and western state agencies. She has assisted with analyzing problems in local jurisdictions, program administration activities, and bringing forth necessary voluntary compliance efforts lending appropriate technical assistance to strengthen health care delivery in these Regions.

• Assisted with the planning, development and administration to establish a two-plan model health maintenance organization (HMO)organized under the Knox-Keene Act that serves more than 750,000 Medi-Cal CONSUMERS to meet the following objectives: 1) to expand choices of physicians and medical providers; 2) to improve access to primary and preventive health care services; 3) to ensure quality of care; and 4) to preserve the health care safety net.

PRESENTATIONS AND RESEARCH FINDINGS (partial list):

• State of California DHS Multicultural Health Task Force: "Literacy and Its Impact on Health Care Services"

• County of San Diego Department of Health & Human Services: "Literacy Sensitivity: Recruiting Adult Learners to Encourage Success"

• Effects of Poverty on Children's Health: Health Without Boundaries University of Texas with the Texas Mexico Border Health Coordination Office: "Health and Literacy: Improving Latino Families and Children's Outcomes through Family Literacy"

• WIC Nutrition and Breast-Feeding Statewide Conference and Texas Department of Health: "Teaching Health Messages to Persons with Low Literacy Skills"

• Gateway National Conference Paths to Adult Learning: "Nutrition and Literacy: Linking the Issue" and "Literacy Sensitivity: Promoting Your Program while Recruiting Adult Learners"

• Southern Christian Leadership Conference - Crisis in Healthcare for Black Americans and the Underserved: "Healthcare Financing and Medi-Cal Reform"

• Canadian Ministry of Health - Canadian Medical Care Service Plan Hospital Act: "Healthcare for All and Its Implementation While Maintaining Quality and Accountability"

As she traveled and evaluated Norway's medical care and health delivery system, Ms. Sterling learned to make recommendations useful in Norway's efforts to restructure their health delivery system. The Norwegian government and her international colleagues expressed their personal interest and gratitude for her insight. Specifically, they acknowledged they interest to support the incorporation of CONSUMER INVOLVEMENT with health and medical professionals when developing public policy. Her colleagues who were leaders in their home countries expressed when they returned they planned on implementing policies to encourage COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION in an effort to find SOLUTIONS to the many challenges that confronted them. All agreed ACTIVE CONSUMER PARTICIPATION in the decision making process would increase CONSUMER EDUCATION for healthier outcomes.

After returning home to San Diego, California, Ms. Sterling volunteered under VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) to assist the California State Library and the County of Los Angeles Public Library's Literacy Program after the Northridge 1994 earthquake. For three years Ms. Sterling coordinated local efforts to rebuild the library-literacy program. For her dedication, and commitment, the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors and the County Public Library recognized Ms. Sterling as 1997 "VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR."

After her tour of duty Ms. Sterling returned home to the San Diego area, Oceanside. In 1998, Ms. Sterling, CONSUMER HEALTH ANALYST, was elected to the State of California, County of San Diego's TRI-CITY HOSPITAL DISTRICT'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS. TRI-CITY HOSPITAL (HEALTHCARE) DISTRICT includes Carlsbad, Oceanside, Vista and Camp Pendleton communities with a population of over 375,000 residents.

Sterling's campaign COMMITMENT to CONSUMERS, unseated a sixteen-year incumbent with 55 percent of the voter turnout Ms. Sterling captured 63 percent of the votes. In 2002, she lost re-election bid by a mere 125 votes, which is an unfortunate lost for CONSUMERS!

Physicians, Employees, and CONSUMERS asked KATHLEEN STERLING to reconsider and run again for the board because there is a tremendous need to bring back INTEGRITY, ETHICS, and COMPLIANCE with ALL the LAWS and REGULATIONS so as to keep TRI-CITY a VIABLE, and INDEPENDENT PUBLIC HOSPITAL attentive to the COMMUNITY'S NEEDS!

Kathleen Sterling is dedicated to CONSUMERS' EFFORTS. She believes she can bring an assembly of FAIRNESS, REASONABLENESS and IMPARTIALITY to the TRI-CITY HEALTHCARE (HOSPITAL) BOARD while being a GOOD STEWARD of the DISTRICT'S ASSETS.

For these reasons STERLING made the decision to run again and capture a seat for CONSUMERS' VOICES TO BE HEARD!

CIVIC AFFILIATIONS:

• American Association of University Women Carlsbad, Oceanside, Vista Branch: Editor American Association of University Women Action Newsletter

• Gerontological Society - Member Board of Directors & Member of Subcommittees: Legislative, Bio-Medical and Health Professions, Service Providers and Public Relations

• Health Law Committee of the Bar Association: Public Member

• Californians Aware - Center for Public Forum Rights: Member