Advancing Health Care Reform Through a State Surgeon General Model

Three states have or had a State Surgeon General (SSG) position within their public health infrastructure: Arkansas, Florida, and Michigan. Each state has used a different governance model to define the SSG scope and position. A series of key informant interviews conducted in 2014 about experiences in these three states found wide agreement that the SSG position offers considerable potential to improve the health of communities through consistent messages about public health, disease management, population health, and prevention.  Equally important, an SSG can articulate a broader vision of how to manage public health entities’ roles in a transformed, post-ACA health delivery system.

With esteemed moderator Dr. Antonia Novello, we propose to present findings from the above-mentioned study with key informant interviews; lessons learned and recommendations from former SSGs; and results from a national convening of interested states and stakeholders who are exploring a pilot expansion of the SSG model in additional states and/or territories.