What is the Medicine and Public Health Initiative?

 

In March 1994, for the first time in the modern era, the presidents of the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Public Health Association (APHA) met to discuss mutual interests. Subsequent meetings soon followed, attended by other organizations that shared a willingness to assume an active role in bridging the historical chasm between the fields of medicine and public health.

The Medicine and Public Health Initiative (MPHI) emerged from the combined creative and collaborative efforts of these groups. Seven areas of critical shared agenda were developed:

• Engage the community
• Change the education process
• Create joint research efforts
• Devise a shared view of health and illness
• Work together in health care provision
• Jointly develop health care assessment measures
• Translate initiative ideas into action

A national congress of medical and public health leaders embraced the challenge and, with the assistance of foundation grants, kicked off activities within their states. Florida proved to be an early participant with several notable successes.

But by 2001, national, state, and local changes in leadership and shifting priorities resulted in less emphasis on MPHI. The shocking events of September 1 and the subsequent anthrax and smallpox episodes have served notice of the necessity to rekindle the fires of collaboration between medicine and public health.