We all need to care for both our physical and mental health. Unfortunately, our health care system puts up payment, licensing, and other regulatory barriers to delivering and receiving whole person care. Many of these barriers are rooted in the destructive stigma that still surrounds mental health. These barriers lead to fragmented care and poorer…Read More…

In the coming weeks, we’ll be reaching out to insurers and large employer purchasers of health care in New Jersey asking them to join our call for transparency among Ambulatory Surgery Centers, or ASCs. In New Jersey, 100 percent of acute care hospitals participate in the Leapfrog Hospital Survey. Their commitment to transparency around safety…Read More…

This year, more than 40 New Jersey cities and towns submitted “Healthy Town” applications to the Mayors Wellness Campaign (MWC), a program run by the Quality Institute in partnership with the NJ League of Municipalities. In their applications, the towns shared the creative ways they are promoting health and wellness — such as community farms, food…Read More…

Today, I am sharing my guest essay which was published yesterday in NJ.com. The essay focuses on the challenges that small businesses face when purchasing health benefits insurance for their employees. The state’s Small Employer Health Insurance market needs to be modernized and strengthened to preserve it. Time is of the essence, as plan design…Read More…

Maternal Health Awareness Day was earlier this week, providing us with an excellent time to update you on the work we are doing with others to make New Jersey the safest and most equitable place in the nation to give birth and raise a baby.   As many of you know, the Quality Institute released…Read More…

We just ended our 25th anniversary celebration and are energized for the next quarter of a century. We’re moving forward with you, our members, and trusted partners to advance the priorities we all share. Today I’m outlining some specific goals for 2023 that build on our work to make health care safer and more accessible…Read More…

In partnership with you, our members, we will end 2022 with significant impact and achievements.   We brought together many of you to craft recommendations and policy change in the areas of primary care, including maternal infant health, small employer health insurance, and the health care workforce. Please read our reports on these issues, which…Read More…

I’ve been thinking about community these days, and what makes a community a good place to live. There are the essentials such as clean air and water and, also important, good schools and open space. Yet community is also about the familiar — faces, places, signs, smells, and sounds. Maybe your favorite bagel shop, pizza place,…Read More…

Last year, I was in California visiting family and stopped into a CVS. Waiting in line, I noticed a sign saying you could see a pharmacist for a consultation and prescription for birth control there without a doctor’s prescription. The cost was $39.   I was intrigued, then impressed, that California streamlined access to birth…Read More…

As the elections approach, and the focus is mostly on national races, we should remember how much of an impact our local leaders can have in our communities. Every day we see how dedicated mayors and public health officials are making a difference in the health and wellness of their communities.   Mayors throughout New…Read More…