Strengthening connections among health care, public health, and community partners.
Healthcare and public health are stronger when they work together.
More and more healthcare systems across Minnesota are coordinating with local public health to help Minnesotans lead healthier lives through community-based prevention services.
When connections among healthcare systems, public health and community partners are strengthened, patients have better access to services and resources in their community to prevent or manage chronic conditions and improve their quality of life. Plus, healthcare and public health are stronger when they work together.
Learn more: Reducing chronic disease harms through community-clinical linkages (PDF).
Linkages happen in different sectors
As individuals, we do not have the ability to address fully or sustainably community-wide health challenges. When clinical and community sectors work synergistically, they can improve care and support patients better than either of these sectors could do alone. When we build systems that support each other toward success, we are able to achieve population health.
Our evidence-based models for change generally engage three sectors:
- Community
Provides services, programs, or resources to community members in non-health care settings. - Public health
Lead efforts to build and improve linkages between community and clinical sectors. - Clinical
Provides services, programs, or resources directly related to medical diagnoses or treatment of community members by health care workers in health care settings.
Examples of Community-Clinical Strategies
- Quit Partner Referrals
- Age-Friendly Public Health Systems
- Food is Medicine Program
- Self-Management w/Clinical Support and/or Case Management