California has come up with a plan to make its residents healthier — and it all starts with the Let’s Get Healthy California Task Force. Each member of the group was recently appointed. Now, they’ll work with a team of expert advisors to come up with ideas to improve health issues around the Golden State.
Specifically, the group will be responsible for thinking of ways to improve the quality of Californians’ health, controlling costs associated with their health, promoting the importance of personal responsibility when it comes to health issues, and advancing health equity — all within the next 10 years.
While the team will work on improving health as a whole around the state, they’ll also concentrate on a few specific issues, including:
– Diabetes
– Asthma
– Child obesity
– Hypertension
– Sepsis-related deaths
Part of the task force’s responsibilities also include coming up with ideas to reduce the number of hospital re-admissions that occur within 30 days of discharge and figuring out a way to make sure that more children get their necessary vaccines before they turn three.
The task force will be co-chaired by California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Diana Dooley and Dr. Don Berwick, a member of the Center for American Progress. Before taking on his role in the task force, Dr. Berwick had been appointed by President Obama to be the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
“With the leadership of Dr. Don Berwick and California’s world-class talent in health, technology, education and research, it wasn’t hard to assemble this energetic group of leaders for our work ahead,” said Secretary Dooley. “With the knowledge, diversity and experience of these appointees and the support of so many others committed to our success, I look forward to receiving an innovative plan to reduce the burdens of chronic and preventable diseases and improve the health of all Californians.”
The task force has already held its first meeting. They’ll present their 10-year plan in December.