After everyone’s vaccinated and the immediate threat of the virus wanes, we must rebuild our economies and societies—and this must include strengthening national and state health care systems. A new report co-published by BioNJ, BIO’s New Jersey affiliate, provides recommendations for how we can get there.
Published by BioNJ in partnership with the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute,Emerging from COVID-19: An Action Plan for A Healthier State was released by the New Jersey COVID-19 Work Group, comprised of individuals working across all levels of the state’s health care system.
The report provides 24 policy recommendations in four key areas of focus:
- Creating and supporting a resilient and diverse health care workforce for the future.
- Increasing support for alternative delivery of care and payment models.
- Promoting public policies that address social determinants of health and can lead to greater health equity.
- Revitalizing and reorganizing our public health infrastructure.
The pandemic “highlighted and exacerbated” health inequities—which are “unacceptable,” said Debbie Hart, President and CEO of BioNJ, during a press conference for the report's release yesterday.
A resilient health care workforce must reflect the diversity of the state, said Linda J. Schwimmer, President and CEO of the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute. The report emphasizes the importance of analyzing data.
Learn what BIO’s doing to ensure the biotech workforce reflects the diversity of the patients we serve.
On the more positive side, the pandemic “swept away barriers” to the use of telehealth and remote monitoring of clinical trials, said Hart. These innovative modes of care should continue to be expanded and explored to improve and expedite access to care.
This report is being published as the New Jersey Legislature is determining funding allocations in the state budget,which has more money than expected. Hopefully, this report will highlight the importance of funding for the health care system, with the goals of the report in mind.
Read the full report.
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