The Fund supports networks of state health policy decision makers to help identify, inspire, and inform policy leaders.
The Milbank Memorial Fund supports two state leadership programs for legislative and executive branch state government officials committed to improving population health.
The Fund identifies and shares policy ideas and analysis to advance state health leadership, strong primary care, and sustainable health care costs.
Keep up with news and updates from the Milbank Memorial Fund. And read the latest blogs from our thought leaders, including Fund President Christopher F. Koller.
The Fund publishes The Milbank Quarterly, as well as reports, issues briefs, and case studies on topics important to health policy leaders.
The Milbank Memorial Fund is is a foundation that works to improve population health and health equity.
March 2010 (Volume 88)
Quarterly Article
Matthew C. Stiefel
Rocco J. Perla
Bonnie L. Zell
Aug 13, 2024
Jul 25, 2024
Jul 23, 2024
Back to The Milbank Quarterly
Context: Good health is the most important outcome of health care, and healthy life expectancy (HLE), an intuitive and meaningful summary measure combining the length and quality of life, has become a standard in the world for measuring population health. Methods: This article critically reviews the literature and practices around the world for measuring and improving HLE and synthesizes that information as a basis for recommendations for the adoption and adaptation of HLE as an outcome measure in the United States. Findings: This article makes the case for adoption of HLE as an outcome measure at the national, state, community, and health care system levels in the United States to compare the effectiveness of alternative practices, evaluate disparities, and guide resource allocation. Conclusions: HLE is a clear, consistent, and important population health outcome measure that can enable informed judgments about value for investments in health care.
Author(s): Matthew C. Stiefel; Rocco J. Perla; Bonnie L. Zell
Keywords: population surveillance; life expectancy; epidemiologic measurement; health promotion
Read on Wiley Online Library
Read on JSTOR
Volume 88, Issue 1 (pages 30–53) DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-0009.2010.00588.x Published in 2010