Most physicians have been trained in a reductionistic model focusing on particular health challenges of individual patients or even individual organ systems. Physicians have traditionally focused on the clinical aspects of healthcare, without awareness that the healthcare sector is a very high utilizer of water, energy, and materials. The 4 year drought and heavy rain this year in the state of California and unprecedented wildfires, and flooding throughout the west have impacted us all.  Climate change is no longer a theoretical someday event, but a current event already having a wide array of health impacts.

The goal of this conference is to increase physician knowledge about the integral relationship between the health of the environment and the health of our communities and patients. There is an urgent need to decrease our large organization's impact on the environment and to educate ourselves about meeting the changing health needs of our patients now and into the future. After attending this conference, physicians will gain a greater awareness of these issues. Understanding the broader perspective will allow participants to see disease trends in the context of environmental health and anticipate needs for the future. They will be given suggestions and tools to help them practice in ways consistent with our longstanding commitment to preventive medicine