Overview:

A series of natural and social disasters were the last thing our persistently struggling economy needed. The numbers of people needing care, especially those of displaced populations, swelled—as our ability to care for them became ever more limited. Increased vector-borne diseases and infectious strains amplified by global warming and environmental degradation have sharply increased demand for acute care. To make matters worse, the accumulated effects of delayed care through the great recession are finally coming due: poor nutrition, heart problems, and delayed dental care are all exacerbating the effects of infectious diseases. The public and private health infrastructures prove insufficiently resilient to respond effectively to these multiple demands and some parts begin to give way under the strain. Among the bright spots in this dark picture is the ingenuity and resourcefulness shown by local communities.

People:

While the resource-rich build enclaves of safety and health, an ever-growing number of people are challenged to find the basic necessities of health.

Organizations:

Organizations must deal with disruptions at all levels—from shaky supplies of basic resources to quarantined workforces—with such frequency that it has become almost routine. The wave of consolidations of health care services leaves them strapped at best in the face of collapse.

Systems:

Health and health care find it particularly difficult to meet the needs of the tens of millions whose health is compromised by poorly distributed resources and delayed care leaving the system itself in crisis.