SM - Resources

Review by Jackie Gruer CNM, MSN

This summer I saw this movie with several friends. I saw it again when it came out on DVD. The film is packed with information and personal stories about how the structure of health care in the United States is affecting our lives. Regardless of what you think of Michael Moore or his previous movies, regardless of whether you are a republican or a democrat, or a conservative or a liberal or a libertarian or a green party member, regardless of your religious affiliations, you need to see this movie if you are an American citizen.

As both a consumer and a provider, this movie spoke volumes to me, and I thought I had a knowledgeable view going into it! As a midwife for the past 24 years I have had a vested interest in the pregnancy and birth care provided in this country. This movie does not address midwives, nor does it spend much time looking at maternity care. It looks at many types of health care and illness care. Michael Moore takes a look at other countries and how they have developed their health care strategies. He does not promote them to be the ultimate answer for our country but he does ask some very pointed questions. He points out some of the benefits that exist in other countries. He looks at the motivation and structure with which care is delivered. Being party to the constant struggle for midwifery to survive in this country and for normal birth to be facilitated and not meddled with, I know these countries have more midwives involved in pregnancy and birth care and have more options available to the women. Their statistics for maternity and newborn outcomes are also better than ours.

This summer, when we came out of the movie people from SPAN (Single Payor Action Network) on the sidewalk with information and petitions. SPAN is a nationwide organization that is working state by state to reform the health care structure. You can find them if you google ‘SPAN Ohio’...Don Rucknagel MD, PhD is one of Ohio’s leaders and lives here in Cincinnati, you can contact him at ruckndl@fuse.net or call him at 513-931-3459.

I continue to tell people about this movie and encourage them to watch it. It saddens me that so many people have such a negative view of Michael Moore that they don’t consider seeing it just because of his involvement. I do think it is a vehicle to increase awareness and can get an interesting dialogue going!