Healthy People 2010 Partnership

Memorandum Of Understanding

Between

The U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services

And

The American Medical Association

This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) sets forth the terms and understanding between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the American Medical Association regarding activities related to Healthy People 2010, one of its overarching goals to eliminate health disparities, and the Leading Health Indicators.

A. Background

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the American Medical Association (AMA) share common priorities and interests in Healthy People 2010, including but not limited to, the Leading Health Indicators and the elimination of health disparities. Each organization has unique competencies through which it addresses these goals. HHS and AMA recognize that by forming a strategic partnership, they can capitalize on the individual strengths of each organization to achieve the goals and targets set forth in Healthy People 2010, thereby improving the health of our nation.

Healthy People 2010, the nation’s health objectives for the first decade of the 21st century, identifies 467 health objectives for addressing medical and public health problems in the United States. The two over-arching goals of Healthy People 2010 are the elimination of racial and ethnic health disparities and the increase in the quality and years of healthy living. The ten (10) Leading Health Indicators, a sub-set of the measures identified in Healthy People 2010, are key measures of our nation’s health. The Leading Health Indicators are priority public health issues to be addressed in the coming decade and include the following: physical activity, overweight and obesity, tobacco use, substance abuse, responsible sexual behavior, mental health, injury and violence, environmental quality, immunization, and access to health care. Healthy People 2010, including the Leading Health Indicators, is designed to mobilize health professionals, the public community, voluntary and membership organizations, local and state governments, the corporate sector, health advocacy associations, and the public in coordinated disease prevention and health promotion activities over the next decade.

The AMA is ideally positioned to provide national leadership and education for achieving the objectives of Healthy People 2010, for eliminating health disparities, and for enabling annual state-by-state reporting on the Leading Health Indicators.

B. Purpose

This Memorandum of Understanding reflects the common commitment of AMA and HHS to address the public health challenges facing the United States. This MOU reflects the intent of AMA and HHS to work together toward: achieving improved communication, coordination, and collaboration on a range of services and programs, both existing and proposed; achieving the targets set forth in Healthy People 2010; toward eliminating racial and ethnic disparities; and fostering annual state-by-state reporting on the Healthy People 2010 Leading Health Indicators. The purpose of this strategic partnership is to catalyze progress toward the goals and targets set forth in Healthy People 2010 and improve the health of our communities and our nation.

These objectives will be accomplished by the following activities:

1. Awareness, Communication, and Education Directed at Practicing Physicians and Their Patients. The AMA and HHS will work together to assure that individual physicians have information on the disparities that exist and suggested actions that individual physicians can implement in the clinical and/or community setting for the purposes of closing the gap in existing health disparities. This information will include, but not be limited to, the following:
   1. the Leading Health Indicators and Healthy People 2010;
      
   2. the importance of providing culturally competent health care;
   3. the importance of understanding and improving health literacy; and
   4. the importance of population-based and community-based education and health promotion.
2. State Profiles and Partnerships Regarding Health Disparities. The AMA and HHS will work together to encourage and assist state and local medical societies in working with their appropriate public health agencies to:
   1. develop state and community data collection and surveillance systems to foster state, by-state reporting on the Leading Health Indicators, identify health disparities, and implement strategies for reducing health disparities;
   2. strengthen the support system (i.e. public health infrastructure) for patients and health care service providers; and
   3. engage non-traditional partners that may have similar interest in eliminating health disparities, the Leading Health Indicators, and/or Healthy People 2010.
3. Strategic Planning and Programs. The AMA and HHS will establish a committee to plan and develop activities related to Healthy People 2010, the Leading Health Indicators, and the elimination of health disparities. Potential areas for collaboration may include, but are not limited to, the Leading Health Indicators, health literacy, violence, cultural competence, smoking, and immunizations. Suggestions for implementation and follow up within the community will be developed.

C. Roles and Responsibilities

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will:

1. Develop and produce Healthy People 2010 and the Leading Health Indicators, that will be accessible in print form, as CD-ROM, and through the Internet;
2. Partner with AMA for the purpose of communicating to key audiences the importance of the Leading Health Indicators;
3. Monitor the health of the nation and progress toward the elimination of health disparities and the targets in Healthy People 2010;
4. Provide technical assistance as resources allow for data and implementation activities through Healthy People 2010 chapter co-leads and workgroups;
5. Produce such assistance as resources allow for promoting Healthy People 2010 and the Leading Health Indicators to physicians through dissemination and implementation activities directed at physicians and their patients; and
6. Bring AMA together with other non-governmental organizations that share a mutual interest in eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities, promoting the goals of Healthy People 2010, and focusing on the priority health issues addressed by the Leading Health Indicators.

The American Medical Association will:

1. Disseminate information regarding Healthy People 2010, the Leading Health Indicators, and health disparities to physicians, and work to implement interventions within clinical settings to achieve the targets set forth in Healthy People 2010;
2. Communicate with and educate practicing physicians, their national membership, state medical societies, medical schools, and medical students about the Leading Health Indicators, Healthy People 2010, the importance of providing culturally competent health care, and the import of understanding and improving health literacy;
3. Participate in and contribute to the development of national action plans for each of the Leading Health Indicators that apply to clinical settings;
4. Use this partnership to stimulate interest among those private foundations that share a mutual interest in eliminating health disparities, Healthy People 2010, and the Leading Health Indicators, and encourage them to participate substantively in the initiative;
5. Encourage state medical societies to forge alliances with their local partners for the purpose of eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities, promoting the objectives of Healthy People 2010, and focusing on the priority health issues addressed by the Leading Health Indicators;
6. Participate in education of policymakers regarding the Leading Health Indicators, Healthy People 2010 and the elimination of health disparities; and
7. Consistent with resources and priorities, convene and facilitate meetings with medical specialty societies and state and local medical societies to educate practicing physicians and their patients about the Leading Health Indicators, Healthy People 2010, and the elimination of health disparities.

D. Funding

Nothing in this agreement shall be deemed to be a commitment or obligation of Federal or AMA funds.

This agreement is at-will and may be modified by mutual consent of authorized officials from the United States Government and the American Medical Association. This agreement shall become effective upon signature by authorized officials from the United States Government and the American Medical Association and will remain in effect until modified or terminated by one or both parties by mutual consent or upon sixty (60) days prior written notice. In the absence of a mutual agreement by authorized officials from the United States Government and the American Medical Association to continue further this partnership, this agreement shall end on June 30, 2003.

F. Legal Authority

This agreement is authorized by Section 311 of the Public Health Service Act, 42 U.S.C. Section 243, as amended.

[Signed December 5, 2000]