Commissioner Dreyzehner Participates in Vital Directions Initiative

Helps Create a Health Briefing Document for the Next U.S. President

NASHVILLE – When the next president of the United States takes office, he or she will need accurate, timely information about public health and health care. Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner John Dreyzehner, MD, MPH, has been selected by the National Academy of Medicine to be one of those providing information through the Vital Directions for Health and Health Care initiative.

Through this project, NAM commissioned expert papers by leading scholars, scientists and policy makers from across the nation to address public health and health care issues and concerns. The papers will be reviewed during a national public symposium Sept. 26 in Washington, D.C., and a final synthesis paper produced for consideration by the next president and his or her administration, as well as other policy makers and the public.

The initiative is focusing on three key areas:  High-Value Health Care, Strong Science and Technology and Better Health and Well-Being. Dreyzehner was selected to be a part of the panel discussing Better Health and Well-Being, which includes experts from the American Public Health Association, Harvard University, Kennedy School and AVIA Health Innovator Network.

“The next administration will need to be well-briefed on the many evolving issues affecting our nation’s health and prosperity,” Dreyzehner said. “It’s an honor to be a part of the initiative that will provide them information required to understand the complexities of individual and population health. Our work will focus on both challenges and opportunities to improve the health of all across the U.S. and will provide a solid foundation for important decisions impacting our health, healthcare and future prosperity.”

There is a free live webcast for the event via the NAM website, https://nam.edu/. Papers presented during the symposium will also be available via the NAM site.

The mission of the Tennessee Department of Health is to protect, promote and improve the health and prosperity of people in Tennessee. TDH has facilities in all 95 counties and provides direct services for more than one in five Tennesseans annually as well as indirect services for everyone in the state, including emergency response to health threats, licensure of health professionals, regulation of health care facilities and inspection of food service establishments. Learn more about TDH services and programs at www.tn.gov/health.