ISMA expressed support for the Governor’s Commission on Public Health (GCPH), which released a 107-page report on its findings and recommendations for improving Indiana’s public health system today. The commission was created by Gov. Eric Holcomb a year ago, and its work will help shape proposed legislation for the 2023 session.
The report, which ISMA is in the process of reviewing, includes the commission’s findings and recommendations in six subject-matter areas related to public health: Governance, infrastructure and services; public health funding; workforce; data and information integration; emergency preparedness; and child and adolescent health.
In conclusion, the report said, “The Governor’s Public Health Commission believes Indiana must take action to transform the state’s public health system by modernizing our public health services, administrative and data supports, and delivery systems concurrent with the long-overdue investments that will strengthen our public health workforce to ensure that the state is prepared for future public health emergencies.”
ISMA issued the following statement on the report:
On behalf of the more than 9,000 physicians, residents, and medical student members of the Indiana State Medical Association (ISMA), we applaud the governor and the members of the Governor’s Public Health Commission for their work to improve our statewide public health infrastructure.
As recognized by the commission, Indiana’s life expectancy is falling as a result of contemporary public health challenges and the prominence of non-communicable diseases, including drug and alcohol use, obesity, tobacco use and vaping and infectious diseases. ISMA supports enhanced public health programs and interventions focused on preventing people from getting sick or injured and on promoting wellness by encouraging healthy behaviors.
ISMA believes that the whole health of individuals depends on socioeconomic factors, physical environment, health-related behaviors, medical conditions and medical care. ISMA stands ready to partner with other public health stakeholder groups to promote tools and best practices to help physicians and the teams they lead connect their patients with resources to address the social drivers of health.
ISMA’s newly adopted, ambitious guiding vision is to make Indiana one of the best states in which to practice medicine, one whose residents will be among the healthiest people in the country. Accordingly, we look forward to working with legislators during the next regular session of the Indiana General Assembly to reinforce the importance of a strong public health infrastructure that will support the health of Hoosiers and their communities.
Dr. Kristina Box, State Health Commissioner, will be in attendance at ISMA’s annual convention on Friday, September 9 at 6pm to present the Commission’s findings and recommendations. All ISMA members are invited and simply need to register here.
Read the complete GCPH report >>
Read more about the Governor’s Public Health Commission >>
Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that ISMA supported the findings in the report of the Governor’s Commission on Public Health. The ISMA is still reviewing the report and has not taken a position.