Wireless News
12-28-2009
Aetna Foundation Makes New Year's Resolutions
Type: News
The Aetna Foundation's new president has announced New Year's resolutions with a sharpened giving focus on key health improvement areas for the nation.
'During 2009, health care ascended in the national consciousness as a major issue. After the economy, it was the highest domestic priority for the new administration,' said Anne C. Beal, M.D., M.P.H., president, Aetna Foundation, Inc. 'Aetna and the Aetna Foundation resolve to support programs that will help improve the overall health of the people in our country, help improve access -- for all people in the U.S. -- to our health care system, and help improve the quality of care they receive. For 2010 we are focusing our giving on programs and initiatives that can have a demonstrable positive impact in those areas.'
Beal is a pediatrician and published author who joined the Aetna Foundation from The Commonwealth Fund in July 2009.
In line with these resolutions to help improve public health, access to care, and care quality, the Aetna Foundation has set the following specific goals for 2010, and will work to make them a reality through grants, which last year exceeded $25 million.
- Help address the rising incidence of obesity among U.S. residents, including children;
- Promote racial and ethnic equity in health and health care for common chronic conditions and infant mortality; and
- Advance integrated health care, such as that provided in a number of promising medical home projects across the country, including one being evaluated with support from Aetna in Pennsylvania. Integrated health care is care that is well coordinated by a primary care physician with good communication among providers, includes informed and involved patients, and leads to high-quality, cost-effective care.
The Aetna Foundation said that it also resolves to:
- Broaden the reach of the Aetna Foundation in support of more national health care initiatives, while also working side by side with the Aetna Community Relations organization and Aetna employee volunteers to build and strengthen local programs in targeted communities served by Aetna across the country; and
- Convene programs that will bring health care thought leaders together to drive important initiatives forward in the health care system.
'Excellent quality research is under way and brilliant minds are at work in the health care system. We need to support this work and bring people together to drive progress toward improved health care quality and efficiency,' said Beal. 'Through improved outreach and communications, including a significantly enhanced web site and a webinar series that will kick off in early 2010, we hope to engage thought leaders on key health care issues.'
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