Das Buurtzorg-Modell: Die (verhinderte) Revolution in der Pflege

It's unusual for health programs to find it financially beneficial to send a home visitor regularly to help patients. But medical programs in various parts of the United States are experimenting with using peer groups to help people stick to their treatment plans, and it is working.

The mobile phone is doing more than revolutionizing communication. It has the potential to improve many aspects of life in poor countries: commerce, health, agriculture, education - public health, especially, is being revolutionized by governments taking advantage of the mobile revolution by texting advice or sending voice messages to pregnant women, texting reminders to AIDS patients to take their meds, tracking the spread of diseases, allowing community health workers to keep records electronically and variations on all these themes.

Nutrition labeling on sugary drinks hardly gives understandable measurements so that consumers can make informed choices for their well-being. Outside of the United States, other countries like Mexico have tried the “12 teaspoonfuls” campaign that clearly informs consumers what is in their soda, and Ecuador has tried the traffic-light label to demonstrate nutrition information through colorful symbols. Both of these approaches have shown to be successful at reducing the consumption of high-sugar goods.

In the poorest places, the lack of proper clothing costs lives. Now a simple and efficient program in India is attacking the problem with the urgency it deserves.

Organizations in Detroit are piloting a program to apply food stamp credits in grocery stores towards the purchase of nutritious produce, in order to increase access to healthy items. The initiative can also help the local economy prosper through increased promotion of locally grown produce.

Hospitals in New York improve healthcare quality and reduce medical costs by staying in frequent contact with patients requiring frequent or long-term care. Montefiore's Accountable Care Organization pulls in care providers from across the medical and social spectrum to improve patient health while curbing expenses.

Hepatitis C is a deadly disease that has yet to be eradicated in the United States (and worldwide). Organizations in El Paso and across the country are working to get people tested and treated for the virus.

Victims of violence found in hospitals are more likely to return for emergency care than those with chronic illnesses. As a result, communities like Cleveland, Ohio are trying the approach of treating violence as a public health issue. By employing social workers and peer mentors for the victims while being treated, it is hoped that the cycle of violence can be interrupted and the root cause addressed.

France’s cities, including Paris, are among the world’s most expensive to live in. In 2015, France passed rent control laws that restrict outlandish rent increases through the Rent Observatory that oversees the different zones and contracts, as well as a website that tells residents if their prospective landlords are charging too much. One year later, the regulations have been effective at controlling the rent by 30% in Paris.

Libraries in the United States have traditionally been centers to consume information, offering users books in quiet isolation. However, a new movement across the country is transforming libraries by providing internet access, creating spaces to study and learn, and meet with members of the community. There has even been the creation of pop-up happy hour libraries at bars, and bike book deliveries to distribute free books. These new libraries are re-inventing how communities learn and demonstrating that even the oldest institutions are elastic to communities' needs.