Tom Daschle, Harvey Fineberg: Preventive Care a Crucial Piece of Healthcare Reform Debate

MUNDELEIN, IL, Aug 18 (MARKET WIRE) --
Speaking yesterday in Washington, D.C., before more than 100 U.S.
hospital executives from 34 states, both former senate leader Tom Daschle
and the President of the Institute of Medicine Harvey Fineberg emphasized
the importance of preventive care in the healthcare reform debate.

"There is a growing realization that we are losing the battle on
preventive care in this country," said Daschle at a two-day conference
hosted by Medline Industries, Inc. Healthcare executives from around the
country are at the conference, titled "Prevention Above All," to discuss
practical solutions to delivering cost-effective quality care at the same
time that political representatives and communities are intensely
debating the issue of healthcare reform.

In a keynote speech, Daschle cited high-cost deductibles and the declining
number of primary care providers as disincentives as to why consumers are
not more aggressively pursuing preventive care measures such as mammograms
and physicals. Addressing this issue, Daschle suggested a stronger
emphasis on primary care networks and an increased role for nurses in the
prevention movement.

Although Fineberg discussed the overwhelming benefits of comparative
effectiveness research (CER), chiefly providing tools that lead to
affordable, effective and safe treatments, he acknowledged that
"comparative effectiveness research alone will not ensure the adoption of
valuable preventive care."

"We have to make it as easy and affordable as possible for both consumers
and their healthcare providers to do the right thing when it comes to
maintaining good health," said Fineberg. "The way you do that is for our
healthcare system to create more physician and consumer incentives that
encourage adoption of preventative strategies, such as lower insurance
rates for nonsmokers."

Daschle, the former senator from South Dakota and author of "Critical:
What We Can Do About the Healthcare Crises," addressed the fact that
while he believed comprehensive change is required for our healthcare
system to get on the right track, it would make strategic sense to
implement the reforms incrementally.

"It makes sense that we ensure each aspect of the reform works in the way
it was intended before it is rolled out nationally," he said. "Initiatives
such as best practices and comparative effectiveness research allow us to
make sure we are making the right decisions before we make policy or
recommendations for the entire country."

About Medline Industries, Inc.

Medline, the nation's largest privately held manufacturer and distributor
of healthcare products, manufactures and distributes more than 100,000
products to hospitals, extended-care facilities, surgery centers, home
care dealers and agencies and other markets. Headquartered in Mundelein,
Ill., Medline has more than 800 dedicated sales representatives
nationwide to support its broad product line and cost management services.

Meeting the highest level of national and international quality standards,
Medline is FDA QSR compliant and ISO 13485 registered. Medline serves on
major industry quality committees to develop guidelines and standards for
medical product use, including the FDA Midwest Steering Committee, AAMI
Sterilization and Packaging Committee and various ASTM committees. For
more information on Medline, visit our Web site, www.medline.com.

Media Contact:
John Marks
(847) 643-3309

Jerreau Beaudoin
(847) 643-3011

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