Reimagining the future of health and wellness in California

Will all Californians have a chance to enjoy good health in the coming 100 years? What steps can policymakers and health care leaders take to make that happen?These questions are tackled in a time-jumping  research report released today by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and supported by a grant from  California 100, a new statewide initiative focused on inspiring a vision and strategy for California’s next 100 years that is innovative, sustainable and equitable.“What health and wellness looks like for our great-grandchildren depends on what steps the state’s leaders take now and in the near future,” said Ninez A. Ponce, director of the center and lead author of the report.The UCLA team examined the state of modern health and health care in California, the historical policy decisions and societal shifts that created the current situation, and trends influencing change in the existing environment. Working with community-based experts and stakeholders, the team focused on seven topic areas: (1) health systems and public programs, (2) insurance coverage and markets, (3) environmental influences, (4) chronic conditions and mental health, (5) child and adolescent health, (6) aging residents and (7) racial justice and immigrant populations.Two factors that affect future health are whether leaders in the state will define “health” in broad or narrow terms and whether health systems are interoperable, meaning they can exchange and make use of information...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news