Building capacity, resources and momentum for the integration of primary care and public health: Lessons learned from a collaborative of state and national partners

Objective: To evaluate the progress-to-date of a national collaborative of more than 50 partners working under the direction of a strategic map, and to examine successes, challenges, lessons learned, and opportunities to further public health and primary care integration.

Methods: This initiative began with a strategic mapping session in July 2012. Partners from several primary care and public health agencies came together to create the Primary Care and Public Health Strategic Map.  Six Committees were created from the strategic map to build on existing integration efforts and to model the cooperation between primary care and public health. Each committee is co-chaired by a primary care partner and a public health partner. Bi-monthly calls are held with all partners to report on committee work, align and expand efforts, and share best practices.

Results: The Committees have focused their efforts to work toward the map’s central challenge, to implement integration efforts that improvement population health and lower cost. Committee deliverables include an online Tool by which all stakeholders can submit success stories, guidance documents to help funding agencies align resources and promote sustainable funding models, and a bi-weekly collaborative e-newsletter and Twitter campaign. A second strategic mapping meeting was held in the spring of 2014, to revisit the map and assess current progress.

Conclusions: Improving population health and lowering healthcare costs can only be achieved when primary care and public health work together to better align resources and coordinate care.