title: Health of the public. The academic response. Health of the Public Mission Statement Working Group.
abstract: Aging of the population, increasing prevalence of chronic and disabling illnesses with multiple social and behavioral risk factors, concern about quality of care, and escalating costs of medical care require fundamental changes in the way that academic health centers discharge their mission. This article describes a newly developed "Mission Statement" for academic health centers that wish to contribute positively to the health of the populations that they serve. A shift toward addressing the needs of the public may produce increasing institutional strength, long-run stability, and enhanced productivity, as well as higher quality, more cost-effective care for patients. Seventeen centers in the Health of the Public Program are currently conducting activities that implement the described mission elements. The goals and objectives described herein create a foundation for change, with more balanced institutional goals, and could turn an emerging confrontation between academe and its public into an opportunity for both.
authors.affiliation: Health of the Public Program, San Francisco, CA 94143-0994.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Showstack
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Fein
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaufman
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cross
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Madoff
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: O'Neil
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schroeder
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D004501:Education, Medical; D006285:Health Planning; D006293:Health Promotion; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D016730:Program Development; D011634:Public Health; D012106:Research; D014481:United States