The U.S. surgeon general noted Wednesday that U.S. spending on healthcare has focused too much on treatment and not enough on prevention.
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy spoke on the “prevention gap” during the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Health Means Business Summit in Washington. Murthy said prevention is needed to combat chronic diseases such as diabetes, which can cost companies billions of dollars in lost worker productivity.
“We have prevention programs that return up to $64 for every $1 invested, but few are used,” he said.
On the flip side, the U.S. is paying billions for treatment.
“This is a classic example where we have a gap not just in investment and research but also implementing programs that we already know works,” he said.
Murthy implored business leaders gathered at the summit to spur healthy prevention and wellness programs at their companies.
He narrowed in on a mainstay in businesses and schools: vending machines. The machines determine at times what people at a business or school eat, Murthy said.
“We know that diet has a profound impact on diabetes,” he said.
