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What is the Medicine and Public Health Initiative?
In March 1994, for the first time in the modern era, the
presidents of the American Medical Association (AMA) and the
American Public Health Association (APHA) met to discuss mutual
interests. Subsequent meetings soon followed, attended by other
organizations that shared a willingness to assume an active role in
bridging the historical chasm between the fields of medicine and
public health.
The Medicine and Public Health Initiative (MPHI) emerged from the
combined creative and collaborative efforts of these groups. Seven
areas of a critical shared agenda were developed:
- Engage the community
- Change the education process
- Create joint research efforts
- Devise a shared view of health and illness
- Work together in health care provision
- Jointly develop health care assessment measures
- Translate initiative ideas into action
A national congress of medical and public health leaders
embraced the challenge and, with the assistance of foundation
grants, kicked off activities within their states. Florida proved
to be an early participant with several notable successes.
But by 2001, national, state, and local changes in leadership and
shifting priorities resulted in less emphasis on MPHI. The
shocking events of September 1 and the subsequent anthrax and
smallpox episodes have served notice of the necessity to rekindle
the fires of collaboration between medicine and public health.
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