Top Business and Public Health Leaders Release Roadmap to Healthier Communities and Long-Term Economic Well-being

BETHESDA, Md., Feb. 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As communities and the economy continue to suffer under the deadly weight of the COVID-19 pandemic, national public health experts and business leaders have joined forces to pave a new path forward. Recommendations from a new report, Seven Ways Businesses Can Align with Public Health for Bold Action and Innovation, offer strategies to end and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and ensure America is better prepared to address future public health crises. Underscoring the inextricable link between public health and economic well-being, the report identifies actionable ways for businesses to strengthen public health beyond their own employees and into their communities.

With funding from the de Beaumont Foundation, the report was prepared by the Johns Hopkins Institute for Health and Productivity Studies (IHPS) and is based on interviews with 40 public health and business leaders, including executives from Disney, IBM, USAA, Sodexo, Goodyear, and Walmart. "A strong public health system is the backbone of America's safety, security, and economic prosperity," said Brian C. Castrucci, DrPH, President and CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation. "This pandemic has made us painfully aware that we can't have a strong economy without good health, and we have an opportunity to act now."

Ron Goetzel, PhD, Director of IHPS, said, "A large-scale effort to address our public health vulnerabilities will require business and public health leaders, as well as policymakers, to join forces in support of healthier employees and communities—the key to a more resilient workforce and a strong economy."

These are the seven recommendations that emerged for business leaders to strengthen the health of communities and help ensure America's long-term economic prosperity:

1. "Put out the fire" of COVID-19 by following advice of credible public health experts.
2. Improve the health and well-being of employees.
3. Promote healthy communities.
4. Become a "force multiplier" by leveraging expertise, staff, and other resources to collaborate with local and state public health departments to be better prepared for future public health emergencies.
5. Actively facilitate public-private partnerships in the community.
6. Advocate for development of accountability dashboards that track and monitor progress toward achieving key economic and public health outcomes in a community.
7. Advocate for a rebuilding and expansion of a national public health workforce supported by a modern information technology infrastructure.

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chief Medical Officer Pam Hymel, a report participant, said, "The pandemic has shown us that investing in employee health and wellness programs is important, but it goes further. We also need to support the health of the communities where our people live and work."

About the de Beaumont Foundation  
Founded in 1998, the de Beaumont Foundation creates and invests in bold solutions that improve the health of communities across the country. The Foundation advances policy, builds partnerships, and strengthens public health to create communities where people can achieve their best possible health. For more information, visit debeaumont.org.  

About the Johns Hopkins Institute for Health and Productivity Studies
The Institute for Health and Productivity Studies is a collaborative established between the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's Department of Health, Behavior & Society and IBM Watson Health company. The Institute conducts research on the relationship between employee health and well-being, healthcare utilization and costs, and work-related productivity. Studies by the Institute help inform decision-makers in both private and public health sectors on issues related to the health and productivity cost burden of health risk factors and common disease conditions, and the impact of innovative programs on medical, safety, and productivity-related outcomes. For more information, visit www.jhsph.edu/health-and-productivity-studies.

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SOURCE de Beaumont Foundation