Newswise — WASHINGTON, DC, November 29, 2016 – The U.S. Surgeon General will speak during The Root Cause Coalition’s Inaugural National Summit on the Social Determinants of Health Dec. 5 – 6 at The Drake Hotel in Chicago, Ill. The nonprofit organization is bringing together experts from across the country to share actionable solutions to addressing hunger and other social issues that impact health.

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy will participate in an engaging conversation about social determinants of health and the future of health care Tues., Dec. 6.

Additionally, Rick Pollack, president and CEO of the American Hospital Association, will discuss Redefining the H to Meet the Health Care Needs of Today and Tomorrow Dec. 6. He will focus on how America’s hospitals and health systems are reinforcing their role as vital anchors for health and well-bring in their communities by including social determinants in their work.

Also speaking at the summit Dec. 6 is Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League. He will talk about the link between social issues and social justice during his speech titled Health Equity + Social Equity + Economic Equity = 21st Century JUSTICE.

The two-day event features presentations from Donald Hinkle-Brown, president and CEO, Reinvestment Fund; Lisa Marsh Ryerson, president, AARP Foundation and Randy Oostra, president and CEO, ProMedica. Additionally, there will be breakout sessions focusing on best practices for addressing social determinants such as nutrition and food security, housing, education and isolation. They will be led by representatives from leading organizations, including the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation at Harvard Law School, Feeding America, Ascension, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, Loma Linda University Health, OSF HealthCare, Humana, St. Joseph Mercy Health System and UPMC Advantage.

Additional information about The Root Cause Coalition National Summit on the Social Determinants of Health is available at www.rootcausecoalition.org.

The Root Cause Coalition is a nonprofit organization founded by ProMedica, a nonprofit healthcare system, and AARP Foundation, AARP’s affiliated charity, to engage health professionals from all disciplines and provider models, public health organizations, government officials, the nutrition and food industry, and other organizations, for the purpose of developing and implementing sustainable solutions to improve our nation’s health and well-being. Its name, The Root Cause Coalition, demonstrates the deeply interconnected links between reducing hunger across the nation and improving individual and community health. The Mission of The Root Cause Coalition is to address the social determinants of health, with specific emphasis on hunger as a public health issue, to improve the health status of individuals and communities. For more information, visit www.rootcausecoalition.org. ###