Commonwealth Fund

COMMUNICATIONS: THE FUND'S COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM USES PRINT, BROADCAST, ONLINE, AND SOCIAL MEDIA TO BRING INFORMATION ON HEALTH EQUITY, HEALTH REFORM AND HEALTH SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION TO THE ATTENTION OF CRITICAL STAKEHOLDER GROUPS, ESPECIALLY POLICY OFFICIALS AND LEADERS IN HEALTH CARE DELIVERY. THE FUND'S PUBLICATIONS AND WEB CONTENT ENRICH PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE ACT AND OTHER FORCES ARE CHANGING HOW AMERICANS GET THEIR HEALTH CARE. THE TOTAL AUDIENCE SUBSCRIBED TO RECEIVE FUND EMAIL ALERTS IS OVER 180,000, AND MONTHLY WEBSITE VISITS SURPASSED 450,000 IN SEPTEMBER 2021. MEDIA FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS IN INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC HEALTH POLICY MANAGED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF HEALTH CARE JOURNALISTS SUPPORTS THE ONGOING TRAINING OF HEALTH REPORTERS AND EDITORS AND ENCOURAGES IN-DEPTH REPORTING ON ISSUES RELATED TO HEALTH SYSTEM PERFORMANCE AND CHANGE.

INTERNATIONAL HEALTH POLICY & PRACTICE INNOVATIONS: THE INTERNATIONAL HEALTH POLICY AND PRACTICE INNOVATIONS PROGRAM IS GUIDED BY THE BELIEF THAT THE U.S. CAN LEARN BY EXAMINING OTHER HEALTH SYSTEMS, THEIR PERFORMANCE IN RELATION TO OURS, AND THEIR HEALTH CARE DELIVERY AND PAYMENT INNOVATIONS-PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT WE MIGHT CONSIDER ADOPTING. THE PROGRAM ACTIVITIES INCLUDE SURVEYS, RESEARCH, SPONSORSHIP OF THE HARKNESS FELLOWSHIPS IN HEALTH CARE POLICY, AND CONVENING INTERNATIONAL POLICYMAKERS AND EXPERTS FOR CROSS-NATIONAL DIALOGUE AND EXCHANGE AROUND CONTEMPORARY HEALTH POLICY ISSUES FACED BY GOVERNMENTS AND HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS.

ADVANCING HEALTH EQUITY: THE COMMONWEALTH FUND'S ADVANCING HEALTH EQUITY PROGRAM IS A MAJOR NEW INITIATIVE TO ADVANCE EQUITY IN U.S. HEALTH CARE. ITS GOAL IS TO CONTRIBUTE TO EFFORTS TO DISMANTLE SYSTEMIC RACISM IN HEALTH CARE POLICY AND PRACTICE AND COUNTER INEQUITY IN TREATMENT, PATIENT EXPERIENCE, AND HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR BLACK PEOPLE, INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR. TO FOSTER ANTIRACISM IN HEALTH CARE, IT WILL BE ESSENTIAL TO CHANGE CULTURE, BELIEFS, AND ATTITUDES, TO SHOW HOW RACISM AND BIAS MANIFESTS ITSELF WITHIN MANAGEMENT, AMONG MEMBERS OF THE WORKFORCE, AND BETWEEN PATIENTS AND PROVIDERS. THE HEALTH EQUITY ACTION FUND WILL ALSO USE POLICY TO BRING ABOUT EQUITABLE ACCESS. THE PROGRAM WILL SPONSOR EFFORTS TO ENSURE FEDERAL AND STATE POLICIES RELATED TO HEALTH COVERAGE EXPLICITLY COMBAT RACISM AND ENSURE GOOD ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY SERVICES FROM COMMUNITY PROVIDERS THAT PRIORITIZE EQUITY.

HEALTH CARE COVERAGE, ACCESS & TRACKING: THE FUND'S HEALTH CARE COVERAGE AND ACCESS PROGRAM CONTINUES TO DELIVER UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON THE STATE OF HEALTH COVERAGE IN THE U.S. TO FEDERAL AND STATE POLICYMAKERS, CONSUMER GROUPS, THE MEDIA, AND OTHER KEY STAKEHOLDERS. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS MADE A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN EXPANDED HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE AND INNOVATIONS IN THE DELIVERY OF CARE TO PATIENTS. THE FUND'S TRACKING INITIATIVE IS ASSESSING THE NATION'S PROGRESS TOWARD THESE GOALS AND EXAMINING WHETHER THE INVESTMENT IS PRODUCING HOPED-FOR GAINS. BUILDING ON THE SERIES OF HEALTH SYSTEM SCORECARDS FIRST LAUNCHED IN 2006, THE FUND IS PROVIDING POLICYMAKERS, PROVIDERS, AND THE PUBLIC WITH PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS AND IMPROVEMENT TARGETS, WHILE HELPING TO INFORM FUTURE ACTION BY POLICYMAKERS AND HEALTH CARE STAKEHOLDERS.