According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chronic diseases and mental health conditions account for about 90% of the nation’s nearly $5 trillion in annual health spending. That is an extraordinary drain on employers, families, and public budgets, and it does not even capture the lost productivity when people miss work or perform at half speed. Dr. Uduak Okon, a public health expert, believes the fastest relief will not come from one more specialist visit. It will come from prevention that is designed, measured, and scaled.
Dr. Okon believes we can and should use data to find health risks earlier. Pair that with practical programs people can actually use, and we might start moving the dial to a healthier country. There is also a huge benefit to employers as they begin to notice what they get back in productivity and happier employees. As she puts it, “The United States could significantly reduce expenses on chronic diseases through national prevention efforts, potentially saving up to $24.7 billion annually with just a 5% decline in diabetes and high blood pressure cases.”
Dr. Okon points to employer programs that combine health coaching, fitness rewards, and disease management as proof that prevention produces returns. “Employers may save between $2.50 and $10.00 for every dollar spent on disease prevention, which is a big return on their investment.” Fewer emergency room visits, lower readmissions, and steadier productivity are not soft benefits.
Having worked on COVID disparities, opioid prevention, and a cardiovascular trends project in Yakima, Dr. Okon knows what it takes to move from data to impact. Those experiences helped her shape a model that, if scaled, could improve outcomes for millions of Americans. Her approach starts with local data, pinpointing the hot spots where intervention can make the biggest difference. From there, she partners with community organizations that can reach people where they already are, rather than expecting them to come to the system.
Once the groundwork is in place, the focus turns to measurement, including tracking hospital readmissions, emergency room visits, and bed days to quantify real progress. She then connects those results to workplace metrics like absenteeism and retention to show the economic ripple effect of better health. The beauty of her model is that it works anywhere. A public health department can apply it, but so can a self-insured company or a nationwide retailer that wants to keep its workforce healthier and turnover lower.
Dr. Okon also pushes for equity because it changes outcomes and budgets. Rural counties and underserved neighborhoods carry some of the highest rates of preventable illness, which means the greatest potential gains sit there. Telehealth, community health workers, and integrated primary care reduce friction that keeps people from getting help early. Close those gaps, and you unlock labor participation, school attendance, and small business stability. That is economic development, just delivered through public health.
She also believes policy is a critical piece of the puzzle. Value-based payment can turn prevention from a feel-good idea into a funded national priority. Workplace wellness regulations that protect employees help build trust and culture. And proven programs like public health surveillance and vaccination campaigns continue to save billions in medical costs each year.
For Okon, the future is both technology and community working in sync. Predictive analytics can pinpoint where help is needed most, while remote monitoring connects patients in areas with few specialists. Layer that with strong local programs that help people act on the data, and you get a system that’s smarter and truly accessible.
“Investing in public health prevention is crucial as the current infrastructure is being dismantled.” She cites evidence that “On average, each $1 invested in broad public health efforts saves roughly $14 in medical and societal costs.” Scale that mindset to diabetes control, heart disease, and mental health, and the national return compounds.
For entrepreneurs, Dr. Okon believes the opportunity is wide open for disruption. Digital health tools that drive real behavior change, remote monitoring systems that keep chronic conditions in check, and platforms that connect fragmented data into actionable insights can all turn prevention into a viable, high-growth business model. The total addressable market is massive, with nearly every household and employer in America being part of it. And success would help millions of families and communities.
Chronic disease is draining the nation’s wallets and its workforce, cutting lives short while reactive care keeps showing up too late. Dr. Okon’s solution is to treat prevention like a core product, not an afterthought. Her model uses data to spot risks early, funds prevention through value-based payment systems, and delivers care through trusted community and employer channels that reach real people. The payoff isn’t just better health. It’s a stronger, more competitive America, one where fewer families are bankrupted by illness, more people can stay in the workforce, and the nearly $5 trillion we already spend on health finally creates a healthier future.
Jordan French is the Founder and Executive Editor of Grit Daily Group , encompassing Financial Tech Times, Smartech Daily, Transit Tomorrow, BlockTelegraph, Meditech Today, High Net Worth magazine, Luxury Miami magazine, CEO Official magazine, Luxury LA magazine, and flagship outlet, Grit Daily. The champion of live journalism, Grit Daily’s team hails from ABC, CBS, CNN, Entrepreneur, Fast Company, Forbes, Fox, PopSugar, SF Chronicle, VentureBeat, Verge, Vice, and Vox. An award-winning journalist, he was on the editorial staff at TheStreet.com and a Fast 50 and Inc. 500-ranked entrepreneur with one sale. Formerly an engineer and intellectual-property attorney, his third company, BeeHex, rose to fame for its “3D printed pizza for astronauts” and is now a military contractor. A prolific investor, he’s invested in 50+ early stage startups with 10+ exits through 2023.
