Health system reform: a blueprint for the future of public health.

As the state of Washington formulated its health reform legislation, public health successfully advocated for its inclusion as integral to successful reform. The blueprint for public health's role within health reform is The Public Health Improvement Plan. The plan describes standards for the infrastructure and performance required to carry out the core functions of public health. It contains outcome standards, threshold standards, and interventions for key problems currently affecting the health status of Washington residents. The plan also recommends the shared financing and governance responsibilities for public health functions within a reformed health system.