Event Archive

Dr. Richard Carmona keynotes statewide chronic disease forum

May 29, 2008

Ohio experts discuss state initiatives to manage and prevent chronic disease

Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., FACS, the 17th Surgeon General of the United States (2002-2006) and president of the Canyon Ranch Institute delivered the keynote address today during a statewide forum on chronic disease.  Dr. Carmona also serves as the chairperson for the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD), a national effort that is raising awareness of the impact of chronic disease on the nation’s system of health care.

“We have a ‘sick care’ system, not a health care system in this country. That’s why this diverse coalition is sounding the alarm and calling for action,” said Carmona. “Despite any differences we may have on other issues, we all agree on a single, undeniable fact: 130 million people suffer from chronic diseases in our nation, and costs are skyrocketing because of preventable and poorly managed chronic diseases. We can – and we must – do something to stop it.

“Americans suffering from chronic diseases, such as diabetes, asthma, and heart disease can and do have devastating effects in terms of lives lost, quality of life lost, and tremendous financial burden. The good news is that the benefits of action could be the opposite,” Carmona added.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), chronic diseases are responsible for seven out of every 10 deaths in the U.S. – killing more than 1.7 million Americans every year. Chronic diseases are also the primary driver of health care costs, accounting for more than 75% of the $2 trillion dollars spent each year on health care in the United States.

The national PFCD marked its one-year anniversary in mid-May.  The Ohio chapter of the PFCD was launched in November, and currently has more than 70 partners including business, labor, health, faith-based and community organizations.  At the state and national level, the PFCD is committed to raising awareness of policies and practices that save lives and reduce health costs through more effective prevention and management of chronic disease.

During the forum event, a panel of health professionals in Ohio discussed examples of initiatives underway to address chronic disease prevention and management.  The panelists were:

• Nan Alexander Migliozzi, Chief, Bureau of Health Promotion & Risk Reduction, Ohio Dept. of Health (ODH)
• Joe San Filippo, Chief Health Care Strategist, Nationwide Better HealthSM
• Ernest Boyd, Executive Director, Ohio Pharmacists Association
• Mike Collins, President, Promotions One, Inc., for the Ohio Physical Activity Plan
• Ratna K. Palakodeti, MD, Beavercreek Family Physicians; Vice Speaker, Ohio Academy of Family Physicians

According to the PFCD:

• 30 percent of the increase in health spending since 1987 is due to doubling of the rate of

obesity during that time;

• Two-thirds of spending over the past 25 years is attributable to the rise in rates of treated chronic disease; and
• Only a small fraction of Americans, fewer than one in six, comprehend the magnitude of the problem: that chronic diseases represent more than 70 percent of the deaths in the U.S. and more than 75 percent of health care costs.

According to a study conducted by the Milken Institute, seven chronic diseases—cancer, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heart disease, pulmonary conditions and mental illness—have a total impact on Ohio’s economy of nearly $56.8 billion annually. Of this amount, $43.4 billion represents the cost of lost productivity.

For more information on the PFCD, please visit www.fightchronicdisease.org.