National Academy of Medicine July 19, 2023
Whole person, whole population health—the ability for people and populations to thrive and attain their full, optimized potential for health and well-being—is the ultimate goal of a healthy nation. The United States is facing a crisis in our collective health and well-being: the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic, compounded by longstanding problems such as the opioid epidemic, the growing burden of chronic disease, deaths of despair, racial and socioeconomic health inequities, and the persistent inefficiency, ineffectiveness, and high cost of the nation’s health and health care system. Given evidence that Americans’ life expectancy is not only less than our peer nations but is also declining, it is clear that investing time, finances, and collective efforts toward creating a healthier and...