Social well-being: the future of the social and health care systems

There are signs that the American public is becoming more concerned than in the previous decade with issues of compassion such as helping the poor, giving families a better break, helping children and people of color. Concern about the nation's vulnerable groups is increasing at a time of particularly profound societal change. The nation is aging demographically, vast technologic changes have displaced masses of workers, there are sharper economic contrasts than ever between the "haves" and "have-nots," and family structure is changing dramatically. In this era of change there are increased pressures on health care professionals, particularly in terms of fiscal constraints and public demands for accountability. At this time, we recommend moving toward a unified social well-being system which incorporates medical care,health care, and social services in a manner that makes the most efficient use of limited resources.