Baseball and public health do not seem like they have much in common, but the longer I’ve been interested in both, the more connections I see.

You stretch so you don’t pull something. You practice so you don’t make errors. You communicate on the field so 2 players don’t collide. You work on mechanics before they turn into bad habits. Basically, you try to fix problems before they cost you. Healthcare should be the same way.

We spend a huge amount of attention on what happens after somebody gets sick. That’s important, just like making a great play after somebody hits the ball is important, but wouldn’t it be better to stop some problems before they actually happen?

Sports have also shown me how much small improvements matter. You don’t become a better baseball player from one amazing workout. You improve from hundreds of practices. Health works the same way. One healthy meal doesn’t transform your health, and one workout doesn’t either. You have to stay on top of it.