Abstract

In the United States, 1 in 6 adults report fair or poor health.¹ The concept of whole health refers to the interconnected impact of one’s physical, behavioral, spiritual, and socioeconomic factors on health outcomes.² Protecting whole health requires a health ecosystem that is intentionally coordinated in which multiple sectors, including healthcare, public health, community agencies, and policymakers, work together. The traditional healthcare system is often identified as being on the front lines of protecting whole health with a focus on the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses and injuries. However, evidence points to factors outside the walls of the health system as holding the majority stake in what drives health outcomes.^3,4 These include genetic factors; the social and physical environment into which people are born, grow, work, live, worship, and age and their behaviors that are often responses to these environmental and genetic conditions.^5,6

As the leading public health agency in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has prioritized efforts to integrate more strategically with partners in healthcare and beyond to protect health and improve lives for all.⁷ Here, we outline 3 tactical areas central to CDC’s work to break down siloes and integrate public health with healthcare: payment, quality measurement, and workforce development.