Managed care and public health.

Both public health and managed care organizations share an interest in ensuring the health status of a defined population. We explore the existing and potential relationships between managed care organizations and public health in several major public health areas, specifically clinical preventive services, prevention-oriented social and political policies, and core public health functions. The latter include health information, health education, personal health services provision, work force and research, community partnerships, and evaluation of health care. We believe there is much potential to improve the population's health through the collaboration of these two sectors of the health care system.