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Healthy People 2010 Partnership
Memorandum Of Understanding
Between
The U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services
And
The American Medical Association
This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) sets forth the terms and understanding
between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the American
Medical Association regarding activities related to Healthy People 2010, one of
its overarching goals to eliminate health disparities, and the Leading Health
Indicators.
A. Background
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the American
Medical Association (AMA) share common priorities and interests in Healthy
People 2010, including but not limited to, the Leading Health Indicators and the
elimination of health disparities. Each organization has unique competencies
through which it addresses these goals. HHS and AMA recognize that by forming a
strategic partnership, they can capitalize on the individual strengths of each
organization to achieve the goals and targets set forth in Healthy People 2010,
thereby improving the health of our nation.
Healthy People 2010, the nation’s health objectives for the first decade of
the 21st century, identifies 467 health objectives for addressing medical and
public health problems in the United States. The two over-arching goals of
Healthy People 2010 are the elimination of racial and ethnic health disparities
and the increase in the quality and years of healthy living. The ten (10)
Leading Health Indicators, a sub-set of the measures identified in Healthy
People 2010, are key measures of our nation’s health. The Leading Health
Indicators are priority public health issues to be addressed in the coming
decade and include the following: physical activity, overweight and obesity,
tobacco use, substance abuse, responsible sexual behavior, mental health, injury
and violence, environmental quality, immunization, and access to health care.
Healthy People 2010, including the Leading Health Indicators, is designed to
mobilize health professionals, the public community, voluntary and membership
organizations, local and state governments, the corporate sector, health
advocacy associations, and the public in coordinated disease prevention and
health promotion activities over the next decade.
The AMA is ideally positioned to provide national leadership and education
for achieving the objectives of Healthy People 2010, for eliminating health
disparities, and for enabling annual state-by-state reporting on the Leading
Health Indicators.
B. Purpose
This Memorandum of Understanding reflects the common commitment of AMA and
HHS to address the public health challenges facing the United States. This MOU
reflects the intent of AMA and HHS to work together toward: achieving improved
communication, coordination, and collaboration on a range of services and
programs, both existing and proposed; achieving the targets set forth in Healthy
People 2010; toward eliminating racial and ethnic disparities; and fostering
annual state-by-state reporting on the Healthy People 2010 Leading Health
Indicators. The purpose of this strategic partnership is to catalyze progress
toward the goals and targets set forth in Healthy People 2010 and improve the
health of our communities and our nation.
These objectives will be accomplished by the following activities:
- Awareness, Communication, and Education Directed at Practicing Physicians
and Their Patients. The AMA and HHS will work together to assure that
individual physicians have information on the disparities that exist and
suggested actions that individual physicians can implement in the clinical
and/or community setting for the purposes of closing the gap in existing
health disparities. This information will include, but not be limited to, the
following:
- the Leading Health Indicators and Healthy People 2010;
- the importance of providing culturally competent health care;
- the importance of understanding and improving health literacy; and
- the importance of population-based and community-based education and health
promotion.
- State Profiles and Partnerships Regarding Health Disparities. The AMA and HHS will work together to encourage and assist state and local medical
societies in working with their appropriate public health agencies to:
- develop state and community data collection and surveillance systems to
foster state, by-state reporting on the Leading Health Indicators, identify
health disparities, and implement strategies for reducing health disparities;
- strengthen the support system (i.e. public health infrastructure) for
patients and health care service providers; and
- engage non-traditional partners that may have similar interest in
eliminating health disparities, the Leading Health Indicators, and/or Healthy
People 2010.
- Strategic Planning and Programs. The AMA and HHS will establish a
committee to plan and develop activities related to Healthy People 2010, the
Leading Health Indicators, and the elimination of health disparities.
Potential areas for collaboration may include, but are not limited to, the
Leading Health Indicators, health literacy, violence, cultural competence,
smoking, and immunizations. Suggestions for implementation and follow up
within the community will be developed.
C. Roles and Responsibilities
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will:
- Develop and produce Healthy People 2010 and the Leading Health Indicators,
that will be accessible in print form, as CD-ROM, and through the Internet;
- Partner with AMA for the purpose of communicating to key audiences the
importance of the Leading Health Indicators;
- Monitor the health of the nation and progress toward the elimination of
health disparities and the targets in Healthy People 2010;
- Provide technical assistance as resources allow for data and implementation
activities through Healthy People 2010 chapter co-leads and workgroups;
- Produce such assistance as resources allow for promoting Healthy People
2010 and the Leading Health Indicators to physicians through dissemination and
implementation activities directed at physicians and their patients; and
- Bring AMA together with other non-governmental organizations that share a
mutual interest in eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities, promoting
the goals of Healthy People 2010, and focusing on the priority health issues
addressed by the Leading Health Indicators.
The American Medical Association will:
- Disseminate information regarding Healthy People 2010, the Leading Health
Indicators, and health disparities to physicians, and work to implement
interventions within clinical settings to achieve the targets set forth in
Healthy People 2010;
- Communicate with and educate practicing physicians, their national
membership, state medical societies, medical schools, and medical students
about the Leading Health Indicators, Healthy People 2010, the importance of
providing culturally competent health care, and the import of understanding
and improving health literacy;
- Participate in and contribute to the development of national action plans
for each of the Leading Health Indicators that apply to clinical settings;
- Use this partnership to stimulate interest among those private foundations
that share a mutual interest in eliminating health disparities, Healthy People
2010, and the Leading Health Indicators, and encourage them to participate
substantively in the initiative;
- Encourage state medical societies to forge alliances with their local
partners for the purpose of eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities,
promoting the objectives of Healthy People 2010, and focusing on the priority
health issues addressed by the Leading Health Indicators;
- Participate in education of policymakers regarding the Leading Health
Indicators, Healthy People 2010 and the elimination of health disparities; and
- Consistent with resources and priorities, convene and facilitate meetings
with medical specialty societies and state and local medical societies to
educate practicing physicians and their patients about the Leading Health
Indicators, Healthy People 2010, and the elimination of health disparities.
D. Funding
Nothing in this agreement shall be deemed to be a commitment or obligation of
Federal or AMA funds.
E. Duration of the AgreementThis agreement is at-will and may be modified by mutual consent of authorized
officials from the United States Government and the American Medical
Association. This agreement shall become effective upon signature by
authorized officials from the United States Government and the American
Medical Association and will remain in effect until modified or terminated by
one or both parties by mutual consent or upon sixty (60) days prior written
notice. In the absence of a mutual agreement by authorized officials from the
United States Government and the American Medical Association to continue
further this partnership, this agreement shall end on June 30, 2003.
F. Legal Authority
This agreement is authorized by Section 311 of the Public Health Service Act,
42 U.S.C. Section 243, as amended.
[Signed December 5, 2000]
Randolph Smoak, Jr., M.D.
President
American Medical
Association
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David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Secretary for Health and
Surgeon General
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services |
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