Sign Up For More InfoEach year, NYAM’s Duncan Clark Lecture spotlights the pertinent public health topic of the day. This year’s focus is on health care delivery systems as it relates to current health care reform. As the movement for comprehensive cost effective care takes hold, it is necessary to look at successful models around the country to get a sense of what has worked. NYAM Fellow and President of the Kaiser Permanente (KP) Southern California region, Benjamin K. Chu, MD MPH, MACP, presented the 2009 Duncan Clark Lecture on the lessons from the East and West Coasts,
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| Benjamin K. Chu, MD, MPH, MACP spoke on successful models of health care delivery systems around the country. |
KP’s creation in 1945 resulted from the challenge of providing Americans medical care during the Great Depression and World War II, when most people could not afford to go to a doctor. Among the innovations it has brought to U.S. health care area focus on preventing illness as much as on caring for the sick; prepaid insurance which spreads the cost to make it more affordable; physician group practice to maximize their abilities to care for patients; an organized delivery system and putting as many services as possible under one roof. KP Southern California now serves approximately 6 million people – or as Dr Chu pointed out, the population of Sweden. In the 2009 California Healthcare Quality Report Card, KP’s California regions including the one under Dr. Chu’s leadership, led in the rankings for "Meeting National Standards."
Powerpoint Presentation from the event
Transforming Health Care: Lessons from the West Coast for the East Videos
With an increase in screenings from osteoporosis to breast cancer throughout Southern California, KP, under the leadership Of Dr Chu has shown how a proactive approach to patient care as opposed to the passive approach of a sickness based model has affected patients positively in their choices to prevent disease rather than wait for symptoms to happen.
"We all know that the health of a population is affected by lifestyle issues and social marketing issues. Chronic diseases are taking over America and those diseases are not necessarily amenable to traditional health care delivery models," said Dr Chu to the crowded room. "We need to change cultural changes and systems changes to get the best outcome."
Dr. Chu was appointed regional president of KP Southern California in February 2005. He directs health plan and hospital operations for 11 hospitals and 130 medical offices in an area that ranges from Bakersfield to San Diego, and includes more than 50,000 employees who work in partnership with 5,800 physicians, to serve 3.2 million members. Prior to his current role, Dr. Chu had served as president of New York City's Health and Hospitals Corporation, a $4.2 billion public hospital system composed of 11 acute-care hospitals, 40,000 employees, and 7,000 contracted physicians.
The Annual Duncan W. Clark, MD, Lecture is named in honor of NYAM President and Trustee, Dr. Clark (1910-2007) who was a renowned public health expert and advocate for preventive medicine. This year's lecture is made possible in part by a generous donation from the International Foundation.
The Annual Duncan Clark Lecture is named in honor of NYAM President and Trustee, Dr. Clark (1910-2007) who was a renowned public health expert and advocate for preventive medicine and notably fought for the addition of fluoride in New York City’s drinking water to help prevent tooth decay.
The New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) stands at the forefront of integrating prevention and public health into healthcare reform efforts. One of NYAM’s current priority areas in urban health is strengthening systems that promote the public’s health and preventing disease. Our participation in initiatives such as the New York State Prevention Agenda, which promotes community based planning and action to tackle the top ten causes of death and disease in New York State, and the Strategic Alliance for Health, a five-year plan in partnership with the NYC DOHMH and key community based organizations in East Harlem, Central Harlem and the South Bronx to decrease tobacco use and improve local opportunities for physical activity and healthy nutrition, allow us to be deeply involved in prevention at the city and state level. On a national level our research contributed to Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) Prevention for a Healthier America report, which made available, for the first time, a return on investment analysis of community based prevention of tobacco use and promotion of healthy eating and exercise.
NYAM has been advancing the health of people in cities since 1847. An independent organization, NYAM addresses the health challenges facing the world’s urban populations through interdisciplinary approaches to innovative research, education, community engagement and policy leadership. Drawing on the expertise of diverse partners worldwide and more than 2,000 elected Fellows from across the professions, our current priorities are to create environments in cities that support healthy aging; to strengthen systems that prevent disease and promote the public’s health; and to implement interventions that eliminate health disparities.
Posted on 03/04/2009
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