A Conversation with Dr. Theodore Cooper

Abstract

The Office of Assistant Secretary for Health represents a wideranging set of responsibilities, reflecting enlarged duties, conflicting policies, and emerging mandates of federal government in delivery of medical care. Traditionally, occupant of job has been described as the government's top doctor, although he is directly responsible for only $6 billion of $50 billion expended every year through federal health programs. Dr. Theodore Cooper, who held post during last two years of Ford administration, devoted more time to establishing a cohesive policy making process than to formulating substantive new policy, underscoring critical need of Department of Health, Education, and Welfare to better coordinate, manage, and organize its existing programs, rather than to design new endeavors. Time and again in a wide-ranging, four-hour interview, taped in two sessions, Dr. Cooper emphasized that what HEW needs is not more statutory authority or operating programs, but an effective strategy for managing its ongoing efforts. He also stressed need for making Office of Assistant Secretary for Health focus for short-term and long-range HEW health policy makinga cohesive, responsive health focus for all HEW health And he pointed to Forward Plan for Health, published annually by office he headed, as an appropriate blueprint. One of his major frustrations during his tenure was an inability to convince other influential offices within HEW, and at Office of Management and Budget, to let Office of Assistant Secretary for Health chart policy. Dr. Cooper pointed out that a reorganization of HEW promulgated shortly after his departure, by Secretary Joseph A. Califano, Jr., would only exacerbate diffi-