Living Conditions and Health

Introduction

Thank you for the great response to the initial newsletter on Living Conditions & Health. I welcome the comments, followers and feedback. I want to send a special thanks to Anne Tumlinson who has been a muse for me on this new endeavor. I also want to thank the RWJF Leadership Network for picking up the newsletter and extending the reach! If you missed the first newsletter it has some additional background materials that may be helpful along with different stories and initiatives that could be of interest. The newsletter is off to a great start in helping to inform improved and coordinated initiatives that advance health, health equity and community and healthcare redesign. This month’s graphic is a reminder that the US lags behind the majority of developed countries on its social spending along with having disproportionately high healthcare spending with comparably poor outcomes. Here’s the source information for this graphic if it is cut off: February 15 2017 Re-balancing medical and social spending to promote health: Increasing state flexibility to improve health through housing Schaeffer Initiative Health Policy Solutions.

This month you can read about: Missed appointments signaling living condition challenges; Highland Dwellings a community-wide effort to change poverty; background on Medicaid home and community-based services; Several new industry initiatives – Virtual Health, BlueCross BlueShield Institute; and CareMore; and, LexisNexis’ new analytic tool for risk of hospital readmissions. Continue reading “March Newsletter”

Introduction

Welcome to the first newsletter on Living Conditions and Health. Fundamental U.S. health transformation may be within our reach given the current groundswell of experimentation, research, work and press coverage focused on what really drives health outcomes and how to harness those drivers. This newsletter can provide a forum in which ground breaking activities focused on improved living conditions (aka social determinants of health) are being tracked, assessed and expanded. My ultimate goal is to inform improved and coordinated initiatives that advance health, health equity and community and healthcare redesign.

Each month I will collect and organize information about the latest trends and initiatives. There will always be a personal story from individuals or caregivers highlighting the impacts of living conditions on an individual’s and family’s health and quality of life. I will regularly feature a community program that is creating an improved community ecosystem and try to keep up with upcoming events. Each month will have top stories on: government programs and opportunities; health system and community-based services; and, research and metrics.

This month you can read about: Bridge Meadows intergenerational community for foster kids, foster parents and older adults; two federal/state programs –Accountable Health Communities and the Medicaid Work Requirement guidance; a spotlight video series on Community Health Equity; An industry survey stating 80% of programs report social determinants of health is already part of value-based care; Commonwealth foundation and National Quality Forum recent reports and recommendations. Continue reading “Inaugural Newsletter”