Communications Makes It Happen, Health Information Interchange, Chantilly, VA, September 28, 1972

The texts of speeches given by Dr. Wilson throughout his career, provide the majority of the material in this series. Additionally, some correspondence, background material, and earlier drafts are included in each folder along with the text of the final version. Speeches are arranged chronologically by day and year. An index to speeches presented from approximately 1970 through 1975 also is contained in this series. Dr. Wilson was a well-respected speaker on medical issues and sought after by rotary clubs, local and regional medical societies, professional medical associations, area and national conferences on regional medical programs, congressional committees, and national and regional conferences on rural health. Specific organizations include the National Health Council, American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Conference on Physician Manpower, Conference on Technology and Health Care Systems, American Psychiatric Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The bulk of the records cover the years 1970 through 1972 indicating that he was particularly busy with speaking engagements during the years he served as Administrator of the HSMHA in the early 1970s. At the beginning of the series is a folder that contains a set of unidentified speeches and background material, and another folder with indices to Dr. Wilson's speeches from 1970-1972 and 1974-1975. The folder lists the speech title (when known), organization to which the speech was presented, and date and place of the presentation. Recurring themes in speeches mirrored the interests and expertise of Dr. Wilson, including medical education, medical ethics, regional medical programs, the federal government's role in health care delivery, physician manpower, family practice, health maintenance organizations, consumer health education, mental health, and the use of automation and technology in modern medicine. The same, or a slightly revised, speech was sometimes given to different organizations if appropriate to the occasion.

Speech titles of interest include those titled, "A Dean's Concept of the Principles of Medical Education," "Our New Problems in Medical Ethics," "Health Clinics and Regional Medical Programs," "Rural Health Care Systems," "Meeting Indian Health Problems As Part of a New National Health Strategy," "Impact and Future of Automation in Health Care Delivery Systems," "Federal-Private Partnership in the Delivery of Health Services," "The HMO -- A New Look at an Old Problem," "Social Responsibilities of Medicine," "Community Mental Health Centers," and "Planning in the Health Care System." Dr. Wilson's valued speaking abilities meant that he also delivered many ceremonial speeches at commencement exercises, retirement parties, centennial celebrations, and building dedications throughout his career.