Those interested in the current health care issue are invited to hear Dr. William Roth speak at the Dimmick Library Friends House, 58 Broadway in downtown Jim Thorpe, at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 18.

In 2008 over 80 health care professionals from twelve different countries, though mainly the U.S., began working to put together a health care model for this country that would deliver comprehensive, cost-effective services.They began by examining the inefficiencies of our current delivery system that does not allow well-trained professionals to accomplish what they should be accomplishing. They then looked at the systems in place in other countries that are more efficient, less expensive and produce better results, incorporating the best from these systems into their model. What they came up with was an approach to health care that includes both free universal health care and a private sector, funded through insurance, the two complimenting each other rather than competing.Dr. Roth, the project head, has his Ph.D from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania in systems design. His master's degree in social work is also from Penn. He currently has six books in print, one of which is a record of this design exercise.This program is free and open to the public. Parking is available on the street (meters stop at 5 p.m.) and at the train station. For more information, call the library at (570) 325-2131. This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Dimmick Memorial Library.