The "A Practical Playbook: Public Health & Primary Care Together" initiative is marking its one-year anniversary of promoting collaboration between public health, primary care, and academia. Over the last year, medical and public health graduate programs have incorporated the Playbook into their curricula. The Playbook is also being used as a resource by public health practitioners. It aims to improve population health by fostering greater collaboration between primary care and public health. Going forward, the Playbook will provide thought leadership, technical assistance, and opportunities to bring partners together.

1. For Immediate Release
March 5, 2015
Contact: Kate Reutersward
office: 202-339-9598
email: kate@prcollaborative.com
“A Practical Playbook: Public Health &
Primary Care Together” Marks 1 Year
Anniversary
Medical Schools and Graduate Public Health Programs Add
“Practical Playbook” To Curriculum as Population Health
Resource
Durham, NC – “A Practical Playbook: Public Health & Primary Care Together” is marking
a successful first year of work to promote and facilitate collaboration between partners in
public health, primary care, and academia. “A Practical Playbook” was founded by the
de Beaumont Foundation, Duke Community and Family Medicine, and the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Over the last year, medical schools and graduate level public health programs have
adopted “A Practical Playbook,” incorporating it into their population health curricula. It
has also become a valued resource for public health practitioners at local, state, and
federal health agencies. Organizations including the American Association of Family
Practitioners, the Institute of Medicine, the National Association of County and City
Health Officials, and the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health have
lauded “A Practical Playbook” and are committed to supporting its goal of improving
population health by fostering greater collaboration between primary care and public
health.
“The fundamental paradox of health care in America is that we devote our time,
resources, and attention to what happens inside a hospital and health system even
though we would have much greater results – and a much healthier country – if we had
a broader focus that included social and environmental factors,” said Edward L. Hunter,
CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation. “I applaud the institutions that are shaping the
next generation of doctors, nurses, and public health practitioners for giving their

2. students the tools they need to meaningfully address the burden of chronic disease in
the United States.”
“A Practical Playbook” is also a driving force in the BUILD Health Challenge, a national
award program funded by the de Beaumont Foundation, the Advisory Board Company,
the Kresge Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Colorado Health
Foundation. “A Practical Playbook” will provide technical assistance to BUILD Health
awardees as they seek to improve population health in urban communities by
addressing the social determinants of health.
“With the BUILD Health Challenge, ‘A Practical Playbook’ will be on the front lines of
understanding how collaboration between primary care, public health, and community
nonprofits actually takes place: what the common challenges are, what best practices
can be created from these experiences, and how to replicate successful outcomes,” said
Lloyd Michener, MD, Chair of Duke Community and Family Medicine.
In the coming year, “A Practical Playbook” is expanding its original offering of primarily
web-based tools, information, and resources to providing thought leadership, offering in-
person technical assistance, and developing opportunities to bring partners together.
The de Beaumont Foundation was founded in 1998 by Pierre S. de Beaumont, and has
since worked to transform the practice of public health in the United States. The
Foundation primarily supports projects that provide training and education to the public
health workforce; build public health infrastructure; and improve information and data
management through innovative technology. http://www.debeaumont.org/
Duke Community and Family Medicine was established in 1966, and it took an early
leadership role in developing programs to improve the health of communities. Today, the
Department of Community and Family Medicine is a diverse collection of educational,
research, and clinical programs which are still united in seeking ways of improving the
health of the members of our communities. http://cfm.mc.duke.edu/
CDC, founded in 1946, works 24/7 keeping America safe from health, safety, and
security threats, both foreign and domestic. Whether diseases start at home or abroad,
are chronic or acute, curable or preventable, human error or deliberate attack, CDC
fights disease, and supports communities and citizens to do the same. CDC is the
nation’s health protection agency — saving lives, protecting people from health threats,
and saving money through prevention. www.cdc.gov
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