Public health policy process: Formulating and implementing national agendas in public health

This proposed symposium will describe the rigorous process for developing public health policy. Panelists will draw upon experience with the process they followed in leading up to the recent adoption on November 5, 2013, of the policy statement,  “Supporting Public Health’s Role in Addressing Unmet Needs in Serious Illness and at the End of Life,” as an example of a successful policy development process.  This multi-step policy process involved several levels of review by bodies including the section policy committee, the joint policy committee, other sections to garner support for policy statement, a public hearing held at the annual meeting, and finally governing council review and approval. 

Panelists will also describe the process of identifying and reaching consensus about the public health problem of growing suffering and illness burden among older adults and seriously ill persons, faced with advanced life-limiting and chronic illness as they age, that formed the ground for a national policy agenda. The new policy calls for public health prevention and intervention strategies to improve population and gerontological health, as well as the health and well-being of diverse subgroups through innovative models of palliative care that rebalance medical and social services. Discussion will focus on implementation of recommendations for externally directed support including building the public health infrastructure through workforce development, increasing access to palliative care services, public education programs about the right to palliative care and pain management, and funding research to support expansion of palliative care initiatives and interprofessional training.