Jul 13, 2009Water or Sports Drinks: Can Water Really Be Enhanced?Courtney Carpenter, MS
Although soft drink sales in the US fell in 2008 overall, flavored and enhanced water gained within the category in terms of cases sold by 8.3% and energy drinks gained by 9%. The soft drink category as a whole, which includes carbonated beverages, sports drinks and energy drinks, plus water, saw...
more...
Dec 18, 2008The Medical Home ConceptDavid Shippee
Health reform is again on the national agenda. States, foundations, the federal government, the health care industry, and the business community are all searching for ways to expand access, improve quality, and control health care costs. As we dissect, discuss, and debate the options to achieve...
more...
Dec 11, 2008New Research on Vitamin D: A Real Missing Link in Our NutritionCourtney Carpenter, MS
Vitamin D, the "sunshine vitamin," is getting new respect within the professional medical and nutrition communities due to research that has come to fruition over the last decade. Although the function of vitamin D as a hormone rather than a simple vitamin had already been widely recognized, new...
more...
Oct 15, 2008The Future of Primary Care for Baby BoomersNancy Weber
It is anticipated that by 2010, 30,375 Howard County residents will be 65 years and older. How many of these will have access to a primary care physician?
more...
Oct 1, 2008Variety: So Much More Than the "Spice of Life!"Courtney Carpenter, MS
Nutrition and wellness have become buzzwords to most of us over the last decade. More of us are trying to pay attention to what we eat and to taking care of our bodies. People are living longer and we want to be among them. Just this month, Money Magazine ranked Howard County twenty second in the...
more...
Jul 1, 2008Universal Health Care - Using Primary Care as the Building Block for Reform Ron Carlson
The current political debates have resurfaced the issue of "health care for all". It's clear in listening to the exchange of views that the subject of universal health care is as contentious today as it was twenty years. Questions are still being asked about how the more than 47 million...
more...
Jul 1, 2008How to Achieve True Health Care ReformPeter Beilenson, MD, MPH
As the 2008 presidential election approaches, many policy wonks and advocates are pontificating on how best to achieve true health care reform in the United States. So here are some of my thoughts on the issue! Although organizations with which I have been associated have primarily been...
more...
Jul 1, 20082008 Session of the Maryland General Assembly - How Did Health Care Fare? Nancy Weber
During the 2008 session of the Maryland General Assembly, there were 119 bills introduced that addressed health in Maryland. The bills that passed will impact access to care for Maryland residents and especially Howard County. The most important bills affecting Howard County are...
more...
Feb 21, 2008Howard County's Pandemic Flu ExercisePeter Beilenson, MD, MPH
Over the next eighteen months, Howard County will be the site of one of the most extensive emergency preparedness exercises in the country. Building on the collaborative work of the Community Emergency Response Network (CERN) and its Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) committee, this...
more...
Feb 21, 2008Access to Health Care - Lessons LearnedNancy Weber
As Howard County prepares to launch Healthy Howard, its innovative health care access plan, it is useful to review Maine's experience as a leader in health care reform. Maine's 2003 Dirigo Health Reform Act sought to make affordable health insurance coverage available to every Maine citizen by...
more...
Feb 21, 2008The Promotion of Health and Wellness for Optimal AgingCharlene Quinn, RN, PhD
Numerous studies identify five key traits that characterize optimal aging: free of disease, satisfaction with life and resilience, disability-free, active life engagement and independent functioning (including physical and/or cognitive functioning). Clearly, genetics, environment and lifestyle...
more...
Feb 21, 2008Health Care Planning: "It's Time to Get Back to Basics"Ron Carlson
Over the past few decades, health care planning has acquired a negative image. It is not clear why. The time may have come to bring health planning concepts back into public discourse. The discipline of health care planning might help clarify the current political debates...
more...
Dec 10, 2007Closing the Health Care Gaps: "Insurance Doesn't Mean the Same Thing as Assurance"Ron Carlson
As the size of the health care uninsured problem continues to grow with little hope of seeing a solution any time soon, local jurisdictions are being pressed to come up with their own ways and means for meeting these "access-to-care" problems. It’s heartening to see innovative plans being...
more...
Dec 10, 2007Health Care Reform: A Candidate's PerspectiveNancy Weber
Access to health care has become a hot topic for conversation in the public policy arena. Recently, Congress failed to override President's Bush's' veto of its attempt to expand the State Child Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). All the presidential candidates are coming forth with health reform...
more...
Dec 10, 2007Legal Preparedness for CatastrophesMichael Greenberger, JD
The initial response to a public health emergency is almost always paralyzed due to uncertainties about legal authority. A catastrophe calls into play rarely used constitutional, statutory, and regulatory provisions that give federal, state, and local governments extraordinary power. ...
more...
Dec 10, 2007Wellness Coaching for a Real-Time PayoffRobert M. Duggan, M.A., M.Ac.
The new Healthy Howard Plan will provide health and wellness services for the uninsured of Howard County. I believe it is a major public policy initiative that in the long-term may have a significant national impact. Here I will focus on one aspect of the proposed plan: every enrolled...
more...
Dec 10, 2007Healthy Howard Access Plan: A Closer LookPeter Beilenson, MD, MPH
Although Howard County is often perceived as a haven from some of the problems affecting the rest of the region, a substantial population in the county has significant social needs. Primary among these is access to health care; approximately 20,000 Howard Countians are uninsured this year....
more...
Aug 27, 2007Public Health PrismPeter Beilenson, MD, MPH
In this inaugural column of the Public Health Prism, I thought I would briefly highlight my initial impressions upon moving from the public health environment of Baltimore City to that of Howard County, and then describe our first major initiative. As some may know, for the past thirteen years,...
more...
Aug 27, 2007Health Insurance for Children - We Can Do BetterRon Carlson
Ten years ago Congress authorized the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). In a few months, unless there is a reauthorization, the program will end. I don’t think that will happen, but there’s a good chance it will be under funded. Whatever the outcome,...
more...
Aug 27, 2007Towards Integrative HealthRobert Duggan, M.A., M.Ac.
he Horizon Foundation focuses on promoting community wellness. However, "wellness" is a tricky concept in our modern world. For most of us, wellness is the prevention of disease, based on our disease-focused conversations within our healthcare system. We need a different view. On an individual...
more...
Aug 27, 2007From Research to PracticeCharlene Quinn, RN, PhD
Welcome to the Horizon Foundation web column, Health and Aging: Research to Community and Practice. This series will present research findings which will assist those in the community—nurses, physicians, social workers, families, older adults themselves –to redefine our perceptions of...
more...
Aug 27, 2007Food Borne DiseasesJerry Seals, MD
Americans enjoy one of the most abundant and safe food supplies in the world. However, recent increases in food associated disease are causing concern by consumers, and food safety agencies at all levels of government. A food borne disease is an illness resulting from consumption of food or...
more...
Aug 27, 2007Public Health Policy and Access to CareNancy Weber
Public policy may be defined as a course of action chosen by public officials, and the principles upon which it is based. Public policy is expressed in the body of laws, regulations, decisions and actions of government. In Maryland, the executive branch of state government and the Maryland...
more...
Aug 27, 2007Preparing Vulnerable Populations for Catastrophic Public Health EmergenciesMichael Greenberger
It goes without saying that preparing for catastrophic emergencies requires careful planning, coordination and implementation. However, when developing emergency plans, it is especially important that policymakers keep the special needs of vulnerable populations in mind. Vulnerable...
more...
Printable Version
Although soft drink sales in the US fell in 2008 overall, flavored and enhanced water gained within the category in terms of cases sold by 8.3% and energy drinks gained by 9%. The soft drink category as a whole, which includes carbonated beverages, sports drinks and energy drinks, plus water, saw... more...
Health reform is again on the national agenda. States, foundations, the federal government, the health care industry, and the business community are all searching for ways to expand access, improve quality, and control health care costs. As we dissect, discuss, and debate the options to achieve... more...
Vitamin D, the "sunshine vitamin," is getting new respect within the professional medical and nutrition communities due to research that has come to fruition over the last decade. Although the function of vitamin D as a hormone rather than a simple vitamin had already been widely recognized, new... more...
It is anticipated that by 2010, 30,375 Howard County residents will be 65 years and older. How many of these will have access to a primary care physician? more...
Nutrition and wellness have become buzzwords to most of us over the last decade. More of us are trying to pay attention to what we eat and to taking care of our bodies. People are living longer and we want to be among them. Just this month, Money Magazine ranked Howard County twenty second in the... more...
The current political debates have resurfaced the issue of "health care for all". It's clear in listening to the exchange of views that the subject of universal health care is as contentious today as it was twenty years. Questions are still being asked about how the more than 47 million... more...
As the 2008 presidential election approaches, many policy wonks and advocates are pontificating on how best to achieve true health care reform in the United States. So here are some of my thoughts on the issue! Although organizations with which I have been associated have primarily been... more...
During the 2008 session of the Maryland General Assembly, there were 119 bills introduced that addressed health in Maryland. The bills that passed will impact access to care for Maryland residents and especially Howard County. The most important bills affecting Howard County are... more...
Over the next eighteen months, Howard County will be the site of one of the most extensive emergency preparedness exercises in the country. Building on the collaborative work of the Community Emergency Response Network (CERN) and its Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) committee, this... more...
As Howard County prepares to launch Healthy Howard, its innovative health care access plan, it is useful to review Maine's experience as a leader in health care reform. Maine's 2003 Dirigo Health Reform Act sought to make affordable health insurance coverage available to every Maine citizen by... more...
Numerous studies identify five key traits that characterize optimal aging: free of disease, satisfaction with life and resilience, disability-free, active life engagement and independent functioning (including physical and/or cognitive functioning). Clearly, genetics, environment and lifestyle... more...
Over the past few decades, health care planning has acquired a negative image. It is not clear why. The time may have come to bring health planning concepts back into public discourse. The discipline of health care planning might help clarify the current political debates... more...
Approximately one million Americans die each year due to complications of heart and vascular diseases caused by hypertension. Hypertension is generally defined as a systolic blood pressure (the highest number) of greater than 140 and a diastolic pressure (lowest number) of greater than 90. The... more...
As the size of the health care uninsured problem continues to grow with little hope of seeing a solution any time soon, local jurisdictions are being pressed to come up with their own ways and means for meeting these "access-to-care" problems. It’s heartening to see innovative plans being... more...
Access to health care has become a hot topic for conversation in the public policy arena. Recently, Congress failed to override President's Bush's' veto of its attempt to expand the State Child Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). All the presidential candidates are coming forth with health reform... more...
The initial response to a public health emergency is almost always paralyzed due to uncertainties about legal authority. A catastrophe calls into play rarely used constitutional, statutory, and regulatory provisions that give federal, state, and local governments extraordinary power. ... more...
The new Healthy Howard Plan will provide health and wellness services for the uninsured of Howard County. I believe it is a major public policy initiative that in the long-term may have a significant national impact. Here I will focus on one aspect of the proposed plan: every enrolled... more...
Although Howard County is often perceived as a haven from some of the problems affecting the rest of the region, a substantial population in the county has significant social needs. Primary among these is access to health care; approximately 20,000 Howard Countians are uninsured this year.... more...
In this inaugural column of the Public Health Prism, I thought I would briefly highlight my initial impressions upon moving from the public health environment of Baltimore City to that of Howard County, and then describe our first major initiative. As some may know, for the past thirteen years,... more...
Ten years ago Congress authorized the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). In a few months, unless there is a reauthorization, the program will end. I don’t think that will happen, but there’s a good chance it will be under funded. Whatever the outcome,... more...
he Horizon Foundation focuses on promoting community wellness. However, "wellness" is a tricky concept in our modern world. For most of us, wellness is the prevention of disease, based on our disease-focused conversations within our healthcare system. We need a different view. On an individual... more...
Welcome to the Horizon Foundation web column, Health and Aging: Research to Community and Practice. This series will present research findings which will assist those in the community—nurses, physicians, social workers, families, older adults themselves –to redefine our perceptions of... more...
Americans enjoy one of the most abundant and safe food supplies in the world. However, recent increases in food associated disease are causing concern by consumers, and food safety agencies at all levels of government. A food borne disease is an illness resulting from consumption of food or... more...
Public policy may be defined as a course of action chosen by public officials, and the principles upon which it is based. Public policy is expressed in the body of laws, regulations, decisions and actions of government. In Maryland, the executive branch of state government and the Maryland... more...
It goes without saying that preparing for catastrophic emergencies requires careful planning, coordination and implementation. However, when developing emergency plans, it is especially important that policymakers keep the special needs of vulnerable populations in mind. Vulnerable... more...