U.S. News and Aetna Foundation Unveil Healthiest Communities at National Healthcare of Tomorrow Forum

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in health care rankings, and the Aetna Foundation, the independent charitable and philanthropic arm of Aetna, today announced that the organizations will highlight their newest initiative on community health at the fifth annual Healthcare of Tomorrow leadership summit, taking place November 1-3, 2017 in Washington, D.C.

The U.S. News/Aetna Foundation Healthiest Communities project will showcase communities across America that are doing the best job of improving their citizens' health through strategic partnerships, expanded public health assessments and various education programs.

The platform will feature a ranking drawn from an evaluation of more than 3,000 counties across 10 categories: community vitality, equity, economy, education, environment, food and agriculture, healthcare, housing, public safety and infrastructure. Launching in 2018 on usnews.com, the site will include news analysis, in-depth reporting and extensive data.

"With the Healthiest Communities platform, U.S. News brings nearly three decades of experience measuring health care quality in the U.S. to holistically examine the relationship between public health initiatives and community health," said Brian Kelly, editor and chief content officer of U.S. News. "We are delighted to announce this new endeavor at our Healthcare of Tomorrow forum alongside some of the nation's top healthcare leaders. We hope our joint project can steer change in the way communities consider improving the well-being and equity of their citizens."

"Our mission is to promote wellness, health and access to high-quality care for everyone," said Mark T. Bertolini, the chairman of the Aetna Foundation and the chairman and CEO of Aetna. "Working with U.S. News on the Healthiest Communities project will allow us to shine a light on communities and the steps they are taking to improve the health of individuals and families. More than measurement of programs at the federal or even state level, this type of locally-focused project can accelerate change in the way communities think about and pursue improvements in public health."

Bertolini will discuss how Aetna is building healthier communities as part of his keynote session at the Healthcare of Tomorrow leadership summit. Bertolini's interview with Kelly will take place on Thursday, November 2 at 1:45 p.m. EDT at the Renaissance Downtown Hotel in Washington, D.C.

In addition, a special breakout session titled "Building Healthy Communities," featuring Kelly and Dr. Garth Graham, will focus on ways hospitals and health systems address social determinants of health within their communities. The panel will take place on Thursday, November 2 from 8:45 – 10:00 a.m. EDT and includes:

• Garth Graham, M.D., MPH, President, Aetna Foundation
• Leandris Liburd, Ph.D., Director, Office of Minority Health and Health Equity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Ram Raju, M.D., Senior Vice President and Community Health Investment Officer, Northwell Health
• Pedro J. Greer, M.D., Associate Dean for Community Engagement; Chair, Department of Medicine, Family Medicine and Community Health, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University
• Moderated by: Brian Kelly, Editor and Chief Content Officer at U.S. News & World Report

Healthiest Communities is part of U.S. News' expanding government rankings portfolio, which includes the Best States and Best Countries platforms that evaluate how government leaders and public policies best serve their citizens.

Media interested in attending Healthcare of Tomorrow should contact U.S. News & World Report's Maria Santucci (msantucci@usnews.com). Follow the conversation on Twitter via @USNHOT and by using the hashtag #USNHOT.

About U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report is a digital news and information company that empowers people to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives. Focusing on Education, Health, Personal Finance, Travel, Cars and News & Opinion, USNews.com provides consumer advice, rankings, news and analysis to serve people making complex decisions throughout all stages of life. More than 30 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

About The Aetna Foundation

The Aetna Foundation is the independent charitable and philanthropic arm of Aetna (NYSE: AET). As a national health foundation, we promote wellness, health, and access to high-quality health care for everyone. This work is enhanced by the time and commitment of Aetna employees, who volunteered 430,000 hours in 2016 alone. For more information, visit www.aetnafoundation.org.

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SOURCE U.S. News & World Report