Gun Control: A Health Policy Issue?
Although the health-related consequences of gun violence are undeniable, the need for stronger gun control policies to address these health outcomes is hotly contested. Is the field of health philanthropy particularly “gun shy” about engaging in the contentious policy debate surrounding gun control? A number of health funders have supported grants and initiatives related to violence prevention, but relatively few have explicitly recognized gun control as a health policy objective.
Innovations in Care for Chronically Ill Patients
Caring for patients with one or more long-term health conditions is the bread and butter of our health care system; yet innovations in care for the chronically ill do not always receive the attention they deserve. In this Issue Focus, promising paths to care improvement, challenges, and areas for future exploration are discussed.
Using Media to Fight Obesity
Efforts to market foods of minimal nutritional value are believed to have significantly exacerbated the obesity epidemic. This Issue Focus describes research regarding anti-obesity media messaging and provides examples of campaigns that are providing reliable, healthful information to counteract such marketing.
Reducing Hospital Readmissions: What Is at Stake and What Will it Take?
Nearly one in five Medicare inpatients is readmitted to the hospital in the 30 days following discharge, most often for reasons relating to the original hospital stay. Such read missions are very costly, accounting for more than $17 billion annually in Medicare spending. With the view that many rehospitalizations could be averted through improvements in health care delivery, finding the path to reduce read missions and capture the resulting savings has seized the imagination of many policy wonks and spurred attention, along with some action, on the front lines.
The Supreme Court Decision on the Affordable Care Act: Forging Ahead
On June 28, 2012, the Supreme Court of the United States delivered its decision on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In a five-to-four ruling, the court largely upheld the ACA, maintaining important provisions already in place and paving the way for a fundamental transformation of the health care system. Following the decision, GIH held several webinars analyzing the implications of the ruling.
Health Advocacy: Yes, No, or Maybe So?
Although engagement in public policy is viewed as a mission-critical strategy by an increasing number of health funders, many foundations are still considering whether and how they should support health advocacy efforts. This Issue Focus article briefly addresses some of the key questions foundations are likely to confront as they determine what role, if any, they should play in the public policy arena.
Cultivating Culturally Competent Organizations: Making the Transition for Health Equity
In an environment characterized by increasing cultural diversity, health philanthropy continues to develop new approaches to promote health equity. As foundations learn from past work, that field is shifting.
Medical Homes 101
First championed by the American Academy of Pediatrics more than 40 years ago, the medical home is a team-based health care delivery model led by a physician that provides comprehensive, continuous, and coordinated primary and preventive medical care to patients.
Elder Abuse: Opportunities to Make a Difference
In the past several decades, remarkable strides have been made in addressing the devastating issue of interpersonal violence—both child abuse and neglect, as well as intimate partner violence. Sadly, however, the issue of elder abuse lags behind these advances.
Intervention Points to Promote Equity: A Funder Strategy
Over the last decade, the field of health philanthropy has trail blazed efforts seeking to eliminate health disparities and promote health equity. However, while health foundations have raised public awareness of inequities and have funded interventions designed to reduce disparities, health and health care inequities persist (Benz et al. 2011).