FILLING THE GAPS - THE ROLE OF PUBLIC-HEALTH DEPARTMENTS UNDER HEALTH-CARE REFORM

The nation's public health system can take credit for many of this cen tury's improvements in life expectancy. But public health has been for ced to take a back seat to high-technology medicine, reducing its fund ing and clout among local, state, and federal policymakers. For health reform to achieve the goals of cost containment and universal access, the nation's public health system must be strengthened and work in pa rtnership with the medical care system.