New perspectivefrom Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCU)argues that prevention must play a larger role in the future of U.S. healthcare
WHITTIER, Calif., Aug. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — What if one of the biggest opportunities to reduce America’s healthcare burden happens before patients ever become sick?
Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCU) is calling for a broader national conversation about prevention — not simply as a clinical priority, but as an economic imperative.
In “Healthcare Can’t Afford to Wait Until People Get Sick,” SCU examines the enormous financial impact of chronic disease and asks whether a healthcare system built largely around treating illness after it develops is sustainable.
The stakes are significant. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 90% of the nation’s $4.9 trillion in annual healthcare expenditures are for people with chronic and mental health conditions. The World Health Organization reports that every $1 invested in proven interventions to prevent noncommunicable diseases can generate approximately $7 in economic returns through improved productivity, reduced healthcare costs, and longer, healthier lives.
The article explores what a greater emphasis on prevention could mean for healthcare delivery, healthcare economics, and the education of future health professionals. It also examines the role of Whole Health — an approach that looks beyond individual symptoms or diagnoses to the broader factors that shape a person’s health and well-being.
www.scuhs.edu/scu-news/healthcare-cant-afford-to-wait-until-people-get-sick/
About Southern California University of Health Sciences
Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCU) is one of the world’s only Integrative, Whole Health universities—teaching students to blend the best of conventional medicine with proven complementary approaches, and to treat the whole person (body, mind, and spirit). Founded in 1911, SCU has been challenging convention and pushing healthcare forward for more than 100 years. Today, the institution offers graduate, undergraduate, and certificate programs in a wide range of disciplines, including Chiropractic, Sports Medicine, Physical & Occupational Therapy, Genetic Counseling, Genetics & Genomics, Medical Science, Physician Assistant, Ayurveda, Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine, Clinical Psychology, Whole Health Leadership, and beyond. Learn more at scuhs.edu.
SOURCE Southern California University of Health Sciences
