Commentary: educating the present and future health care workforce to provide care to populations

The crisis of the rising cost of health care in the United States is stimulating major changes in the way care is being delivered. New models such as patient-centered medical homes and accountable care organizations are being developed with the expectation that health care professionals will address and improve the health of populations. Electronic health records and interprofessional teams will be critical to achieving the goal of better health. It is now time to bring together educators and clinicians at academic health centers, public health educators and practitioners, along with researchers, representatives from the health care delivery and financing systems, and community partners to reengineer health professions education to prepare health professions students for the health care system of the future.