Every December, most of us reflect on the events over the past year and goals for the coming year. For some reason, everything placed on the agenda in January is not achieved by December. While personal financial security is a constant concern for most Americans, the broader economic security of the nation is also of great consequence. The Milken Institute released its report on "An Unhealthy America: The Economic Burden of Chronic Disease" in October.1 The report paints a grim picture of the current health status of the U.S. population and a foreboding prediction for the future if our healthcare system is not reformed to reduce the burden of chronic disease on quality of life for individuals and to the economic health of our society.
The study estimates current and future treatment costs and lost productivity for seven of the most common chronic diseases: cancers, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, stroke, mental disorders, and pulmonary conditions. Lifestyle behaviors and environmental risk factors are known to significantly contribute to the development and progression of these conditions. Prevention can no longer take a backseat in our healthcare system; it must become a priority.
How Healthy is Your State?
The report challenges the United States (and other global partners) to seek out and implement reasonable strategies that promote affordable healthcare and foster continued economic growth. According to the report, the states with the least healthy people are West Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Mississippi. The states with the healthiest populations are Utah, Alaska, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. You can check the statistics for your state, current and projected, at http://www.chronicdiseaseimpact.com.
Many of the nation's poorest citizens live in one of the least healthy states. As healthcare costs escalate and increasing numbers of Americans are uninsured or underinsured, money matters when we look at access to healthcare and, unfortunately too often, quality of care.
Nurse practitioners (NPs) have traditionally provided quality healthcare to these disadvantaged sectors. NPs are also excellent educators and strive to inform patients, empowering them through knowledge and the necessary skills to optimally participate in the management of their chronic conditions. The Milken Institute's report projects a savings of $1.1 trillion for the United States by 2023 by making improvements in preventing and managing chronic disease.
The Debates Begin
As 2008 begins, we can expect the race for the party nomination, and ultimately the "win" for president, to escalate. The phrase "healthcare reform" will be thrown around in candidates' speeches, in partisan and bipartisan debates, at town meetings, in legislative chambers, in the media, at the workplace, and in living rooms. Every candidate's vision for healthcare reform will resound loudly in the ears and minds of citizens, especially those who are struggling in the current healthcare system. Listen carefully to the messages so you are equipped to make an informed decision in the voting booth. Access to quality healthcare and the best possible quality of life are everyone's right. The years to come are full of promise. Perhaps as Robert Browning, the British poet and playwright, said, "The best is yet to come".
Jamesetta Newland, APRN, BC, FNP, FAANP, FNAP, PhD
Editor-in-Chief, [email protected]
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