Guest commentator: Don Mueller, FACHE, CEO, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, @TowerHealthNow
How can healthcare providers and businesses partner to advance the quality of life for the people they serve?
The physical and mental health of a region's population and the economic vitality of its businesses are inextricably linked — for an area to thrive and grow, it requires a healthy labor force.
Unfortunately, in many cities across the country, community-wide problems known as social determinants of health—like poverty, unemployment, poor education, inadequate housing, poor public transportation, violence, and decaying neighborhoods—contribute heavily to health inequities.
In addition to the personal, generational impacts those obstacles have on the individuals and families in a community, they also stunt the development of a strong, educated, diverse workforce. The business community has a significant stake in correcting such health inequities, first, because it's the right thing to do, and also doubles as a strategy for stabilizing and strengthening the local economy.
The equation is not complicated: health inequities weaken workforce productivity, increase operating costs, and in the end, hurt profits.
Examining the factors that shape health beyond the factory or office walls, and actively working to make changes, are crucial steps for creating a healthier community and workforce. The cascading effects of such improvements are many, including the creation of a city or region that, thanks to its healthier, better– educated labor force, is a significantly more appealing target for new businesses.
To accomplish these changes, it is imperative that healthcare providers and businesses develop partnerships to attack the social determinants of health that obstruct the growth of community health and the economy. Investment in disease prevention, along with social programs and services, pays dividends in both the short and long term.
As an example, St. Christopher's Hospital is in the process of partnering with several local corporate and nonprofit organizations to launch workforce development programs in the communities the hospital serves, training workers to potentially become part of the hospital's future labor force. The individuals in these programs will gain skills and experience leading to well-paying jobs; the hospital adds high-quality employees to its workforce on an ongoing basis, and money is injected into the local community where it is much needed.
Of course, these forward-looking approaches don't replace more traditional philanthropic partnerships, which remain a foundational piece of the healthy-communities puzzle. Without funding support, few of these barriers to community health can be overcome.
The combination of new and familiar strategies for partnerships between healthcare providers and businesses to address the social factors that create health inequities can bring us much closer to the goal of creating a truly healthy community.
More About Recharge & Recover PHL
Through Recharge & Recover PHL, the Chamber is working with our members to make Greater Philadelphia the healthiest and most livable community in the Northeast.
This objective is part of five aspirations of Recharge & Recover PHL with the aim to support not only Greater Philadelphia’s recovery but to also provide a means to differentiate our region for decades to come.
Upcoming Event
Friday, January 13, 2023 | 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM | Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
The Chamber, in partnership with Firstrust Bank, welcomes you to join us in person for our annual economic forecast.
Economic Outlook 2023 will provide an analysis of the current and future regional economic climate and offer a keen understanding of the market to help make informed business decisions. The program's three-part agenda features results from the Federal Reserve Bank's economic forecast survey of Chamber members, insights into the global economy from the keynote speaker, and a panel of regional business leaders spotlighting the key economic trends that will shape the coming year.
