Improving Public Health Agency and System Performance: Fortification for Promoting Population Health and Wellness

America faces a new frontier in preventing chronic disease. Nearly 80% of the 10,000 people who turn 65 each day have at least 1 chronic health condition, and most have multiple chronic conditions (1). The costs of braving this new world are staggering, especially given the nation’s strained economy and budget cuts that have forced health departments to reduce their workforce and impose furloughs and reduce or eliminate chronic disease programs. Despite these daunting challenges, government public health agencies have opportunities to be the driving force behind improving the nation’s health.