Summit on Urban Health : Examining the role of medical schools in improving the health of underserved urban populations

With prospects for national health reform on the horizon, representatives from seven medical schools and several health-related organizations convened a Summit on Urban Health in November 2009. Each community represented struggles with health disparities, poor health status among its urban populations, dysfunctional health care delivery systems, and inadequate public funding to meet the needs of its target populations. The goal of the summit was to allow 1) Discussion of the challenges academic institutions face in providing medical education, research and clinical programs to urban underserved populations; 2) Exchange of experiences in efforts to improve the health of underserved urban populations through clinical service, research and medical education; and 3) Activation of a joint effort targeting innovation and policy development related to urban health as national health reform is implemented. The summit drew several conclusions. The participating institutions face common challenges and identify strategies for enhancing community-partnered research, health planning, and innovation. Urban Health is an emerging discipline which needs further refinement. The urban health workforce requires broader training in the determinants of health, including poverty, safety, nutrition, exercise and urban design. The participants share a uniting goal and agreed unanimously to work jointly in the design of model community-focused health systems which serve all members of the community and remain financially viable. These systems would ultimately provide the ideal environment for inter-professional education in integrated team-based care. The need for flexibility in educational accreditation standards to meet the demands of urban health disparities is identified.