October 2016 - News & Events

TOOLKIT: American Diabetes Month

Posted on October 26, 2016 by ODPHP

Diabetes is one of the leading causes of disability and death in the United States. It can cause blindness, nerve damage, kidney disease, and other health problems if it’s not controlled.

People who are at high risk for type 2 diabetes can lower their risk by more than half if they make healthy changes like increasing physical activity, losing weight, and eating healthy.…

Practicing What We Preach: Health Literacy Online and the ONC Patient Engagement Playbook

Posted on October 24, 2016 by ODPHP

When we developed Health Literacy Online: A Guide for Simplifying the User Experience, we set out to help people create online health information and digital tools that are accessible and easy to understand for users with limited literacy skills. But the truth is that these principles and strategies don’t just benefit consumers with limited literacy skills, they benefit all online users — even health care professionals.

Proposed Targets Announced to Reduce Adverse Drug Events

Posted on October 20, 2016 by ODPHP

On October 20, 2016, ODPHP announced proposed targets for the National Action Plan for Adverse Drug Event Prevention (ADE Action Plan). The plan calls for coordination among federal and non-federal stakeholders to reduce adverse drug events that are considered to be common, clinically significant, preventable, and measurable. We invite interested public and private professionals, organizations, and consumer representatives to submit written comments by November 21, 2016.

HHS Announces A Call to Action to Create a 21st Century Public Health Infrastructure

Posted on October 20, 2016 by ODPHP

On October 19, Karen B. DeSalvo, MD, MPH, HHS assistant secretary for health, unveiled Public Health 3.0, a new model for building healthier communities across America.

Read the report: Public Health 3.0: A Call to Action to Create a 21st Century Public Health Infrastructure – PDF

Public Health 3.0 recognizes that America has made great strides in recent years to expand access to medical care and preventive services, but that these successes have not guaranteed health equity for all.…