Comparative Effectiveness Research: Informing Decisions and Improving Quality

Comparative effectiveness research (CER) is the study of methods to “prevent, diagnose, treat, and monitor a clinical condition or to improve the delivery of care” (IOM 2009). Its purpose is to assist consumers, clinicians, purchasers, and policymakers in making informed decisions that will improve health care at both the individual and population levels (IOM 2009).

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GIH Bulletin: July 2010

Archstone Foundation (Long Beach, CA) announced the approval of 14 grants for more than $1 million to California-based organizations that address the
needs of older adults.

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Annual Report 2009

This annual report looks back on 2009 and briefly summarizes highlights of the year and key facts about GIH’s operations and governance.

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GIH Bulletin: June 2010

Aetna Foundation (Harford, CT) awarded a $331,000 grant to Engelberg Center for Health Reform at the Brookings Institution (Washington, DC) to help the center explore innovative approaches to implementing and evaluating value-based purchasing programs

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Improving Quality: Long-Term Vision and Incremental Change

Quality is one of the most pressing issues facing the health care system today, and foundations are using a variety of approaches to support quality improvement efforts at the local, state, and national levels, turning a cacophony of consumer voices into coherent, actionable work.

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2010 Terrance Keenan Award Acceptance Speech

Read about The Commonwealth Fund’s Dr. Mary Jane Koren’s 30 years of work to improve the quality of institutional long-term care, and be inspired by her willingness to take chances on innovation, revisit old ideas, and find treasure among the wreckage.

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Back to the Beginning: Obesity Prevention in Early Childhood

Recent efforts in the field of child obesity prevention have placed emphasis on the school-age population, and with good reason. Schools present a unique opportunity to reach large groups of children on a regular basis with healthy foods and physical activity. However, about 10 percent of children come to kindergarten already obese, indicating that more attention needs to focus on the period of life before school.

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GIH Bulletin: May 2010

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation (Chapel Hill) awarded a three-year, $610,000 grant to the North Carolina Dental Health Fund of the North Carolina Dental Society (Cary).

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Rethinking Substance Use Disorders

Almost 1 in 10 individuals over age 12 has a problem with alcohol or drugs, making substance use disorders one of the most damaging and expensive health problems facing the United States today. Yet many of the specific issues surrounding substance use remain under the radar because of their controversial nature and the highly marginalized and vulnerable populations they often affect.

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Intervening Early to Address Children’s Health Disparities

In the United States, children of color and those in low-income families continue to lag behind white and affluent children on nearly every health indicator. In addition, many of these indicators and conditions, such as preterm birth, low birth weight, and asthma, can have long-term influences on children’s healthy development and functioning.

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