Health Reforms

The Health Affairs Web site has several perspectives on Health IT, as well as the first in a series of companion essays on what it all means. The main perspectives come from Carol Diamond of the Markle Foundation (read her guest posts on NHD here and here) and Clay Shirky of NYU, who emphasize how IT fits into health, not just the technical standards aspects, Robert Kolodner, HHS's Health IT national coordinator who updates us on federal policy, and David Kibbe of the American Academy of Family Physicians, who sums up what the private sector is doing. If you have followed this issue at all, you'll know these players, but it's a useful recap. Keep in mind that the CBO has emphasized that IT isn't a magic bullet—it's got to be used in a way that improves health and health care if it's going to reap all the savings that everybody's been talking about.

Remember Phys. Ed? Or recess? You know, that chance to run around during the school day and burn off steam -- and calories?

Well, Congress seems to have been doing some remembering too.

During the last two weeks, Congress heard quite a lot about childhood obesity. The Senate HELP committee had not just one, but two hearings. Doctors, public health experts, economists, and community activists substantiated the fact that one in three of America's children can be defined as obese, and described the immense economic and logistical burden this will place on our already strained health system. On a more encouraging note, several witnesses described initiatives where these challenges are being successfully addressed. For example, the Central Connecticut Coast YMCA has added more subsidized after-school programs that encourage physical activity; provided a service that lets people order fresh fruit from their local YMCA; and have "Y" board members get involved with local building commissions and school boards—getting their communities to recognize the value of sidewalks and P.E.