InOn Health Podcast

Under the visionary leadership of Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera, the state of Colorado hopes to connect 99% of households to high-speed internet by 2027. This is just one of the initiatives in a larger plan to lead by example in establishing sustainable practices for addressing health care inequity. As Lt. Governor Primavera moves into her second term, she is prioritizing more equitable legislation surrounding housing, healthcare and education.  As the Covid-19 pandemic brought to light, many households have been negatively impacted by increasingly expensive healthcare and lack of access to digital services. In order to prevent financial toxicity, a scenario in which individuals are bankrupted by medical bills, Primavera and a team of dedicated professionals have established several innovative programs. One such program is the In Full Health Initiative, which provides resources and opportunities for organizations to connect, educate, and develop solutions to problems plaguing the healthcare system. Learning from each other in a community where many diverse voices are represented is the best way to advance equitable health innovations. Director of the Office of eHealth Innovation Stephanie Pugliese also joins the conversation. The goals of the eHealth Commission are to make information more accessible through coordinated health systems and expanding the inclusivity of health solutions. One of the first steps for achieving equity is through data collection. Colorado recently passed a bill which requires the Health Department to gather demographic data. This information helps establish a collective picture of the challenges people continue to face in receiving access to quality healthcare and health education services across the state. Working together to address growing needs in ever-changing times makes Colorado a national model for prioritizing equal access to a universal human right.Main Topics Lt. Governor's priorities and goals for her second term (01:45) Ground-breaking Medical-Financial Partnership Program (04:13) Legislation to support equitable health care for people in Colorado (06:45) Stephanie shares updates on efforts to increase health equity (09:35) Colorado's In Full Health Initiative (13:30) Priorities for Office of eHealth Innovation (15:30) How to bring health goals into reality (17:35) Policies that will help determine where to focus health equity efforts (19:35)   Episode Linksoehi.colorado.gov Connect with Lt. Governor Primavera:https://ltgovernor.colorado.govhttps://twitter.com/LtGovofCOhttps://www.instagram.com/ltgovofcohttps://www.facebook.com/LtGovofCO/Connect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/https://twitter.com/inonhealthinonhealth.com/podcastListen, rate, and subscribe!Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle Podcasts

In part two of this two-part episode, KP continues to share his personal story about his diagnosis of early-stage, moderately aggressive prostate cancer. As a young black male with no known prior history, he was significantly under the age to be screened for this condition. But he got screened early, and is thankfully cancer free after treatment from great physicians. In this conversation, KP is joined by Ahmad Garrett-Price MD, a board certified family physician and the founder of GP Health. As a top family physician, Ahmad brings the clinical view as well as the context surrounding this issue. The two discuss KP's cancer journey, Ahmad's clinical expertise and experience, and the importance of examining the context surrounding men's health in the Black community.Main Topics Receiving the diagnosis, beginning the treatment journey, and navigating both a professional and a personal life (1:34) Understanding options for treatment, the Gleason Score, and how KP made the choice to take an aggressive treatment plan (9:40) How surgical treatment options can present roadblocks especially for communities of color (16:25) How lack of information and education prevents early detection and treatment (24:05) KP's journey to choosing a radical prostectomy via a robotic procedure and the key differences between open and robotic procedure (28:34) KP's pivot from indecision over treatment to moving forward in making a decision to treat as soon as possible— and the importance understanding the risks and potential outcomes of any procedure (35:27) KP's relationship with his “cancer buddy” and how he was armed with information that removed anxiety from the treatment and recovery process (39:40) The preparation, procedure and recovery journey, and the challenges of navigating the process as an entrepreneur, a father and a husband (42:35) Preparing for life after the procedure and the importance focusing on mental and physical wellness (51:30) The importance of getting screened early (1:00:00) Show Resources: https://www.pcf.org/about-prostate-cancer/diagnosis-staging-prostate-cancer/gleason-score-isup-grade/Connect with Ahmad:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmad-garrett-price-md-3438b0148/Connect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/https://twitter.com/inonhealthinonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/Listen, rate, and subscribe!Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts

In part one of this two-part episode, KP shares his personal story about his diagnosis of early-stage, moderately aggressive prostate cancer. As a young black male with no known prior history, he was significantly under the age to be screened for this condition. But he got screened early, and is thankfully cancer free after treatment from great physicians. But this journey has led him to unpacking the topic of cancer, and specifically prostate cancer, among the Black male population. In this conversation, KP is joined by Ahmad Garrett-Price MD, a board certified family physician and the founder of GP Health. As a top family physician, Ahmad brings the clinical view as well as the context surrounding this issue. The two discuss KP's cancer journey, Ahmad's clinical expertise and experience, and the importance of examining the context surrounding men's health in the Black community.Main Topics Ahmad's journey to his medical career and his family's background in healthcare and community leadership (4:00) Ahmad's time working as a senior physician at Kaiser Permanente in Northern California and the founding of GP Health, a proactive and preventative health service. GP Health examines the economic constructs, genetic predisposition and lifestyles of its patients, which helps them understand the full context of their health conditions (14:00) Issues surrounding men's health among the Black community, including cancer and specifically prostate cancer and why it impacts them earlier in life (20:54) KP's cancer screening experience and how his family history and role in public health led to get screening earlier than traditionally recommended (27:59) The cost effectiveness issues of false positives in prostate cancer tests and how it leads to an older screening age among men (35:47) What makes Black men more prone to prostate cancer and other outside factors, including diet, socioeconomic factors and access to health care (41:34) Connect with Ahmad:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmad-garrett-price-md-3438b0148/Connect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/https://twitter.com/inonhealthinonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/Listen, rate, and subscribe!Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts

As we near the end of season 2 of the InOn Health podcast, KP looks back on some of his favorite episodes from season 1 of the show.KP's Top 5 Episodes: Episode 4: Integrating Emotional Support in the Maternal Health Journey with Simmone Taitt Episode 5: Paving the Way in Digital Health Innovation with Troy Bannister Episode 6: Creating Inclusive Digital Health Innovations and Re-Defining Acute Care with Dr. Monique Smith Episode 3: Building and Sustaining a Healthy Colorado for All with Dianne Primavera, Colorado Lieutenant Governor Episode 13: Cultural Humility Improves Mental Healthcare for Diverse Populations with Dr. Brandi Jackson and Kevin Dedner Connect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/https://twitter.com/inonhealthinonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/Listen, rate, and subscribe!Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts

Joy Lewis—senior vice president of health equity strategies at the American Hospital Association—joins KP in this episode of the InOn Health podcast. They discuss the impact of hospitals in reducing health disparities for various populations in the United States. Joy reveals the vision of the American Hospital Association, which focuses on achieving a society of healthy communities with individuals reaching their highest potential for health, where everyone receives the necessary support to live the healthiest life possible. She provides insights into how (modifiable) societal factors influence health outcomes and conditions. She describes the advancement of health equity demonstrated as:"We will know we've achieved health equity when the quality of care that's rendered does not vary based on characteristics like race, ethnicity, gender, geographic and socioeconomic status.” Joy explains advancing health equity involves removing structural barriers—dismantling the existing structure requires implementing more just action, such as creating a moral case of listening to patients as the first step. She explains how hospitals are the most influential institutions in the communities they serve. She further elaborates how the health/medical industry should pivot towards a more inclusive community partnership, involving co-designing and co-developing health equity solutions, ultimately creating sustainable solutions. Joy discusses the path to advancing equity and eliminating disparities requires the ongoing development of products, information, and resources. She outlines the evolvement in data-gathering—traditionally focused on race, ethnicity, and language—now pivoting to include sexual orientation, gender identity, and social needs. She elaborates how this data—including other factors like housing conditions, food insecurity, and transportations needs—impacts people's abilities to engage in their health. Collecting this data would serve as a guide to provide the proper clinical support while eliminating biases to ensure it does not negatively impact patients.  Connect with Joy Lewis:https://www.linkedin.com/in/joyalewis/https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-hospital-association/https://twitter.com/joylewisMPHhttps://twitter.com/IFD_AHAConnect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/https://twitter.com/inonhealthinonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/

Dr. Brittani James, family physician and Co-Founder of The Institute for Antiracism in Medicine, joins KP in the ongoing discussion addressing health equity. Dr. James begins the conversation by sharing her upbringing, witnessing segregated systems in and outside the healthcare system. She reveals how the Covid-19 pandemic spotlighted the racial disparities in the healthcare systems and the mental health impact on the Black community. While attending medical school at the University of Michigan, Dr. James reflects learning how black individuals are more inclined to experience health issues, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, but never taught the explanation of why. She further explains how race is often regarded as a biologically distinct entity, which has led to false conclusions that people of color are biologically different. This fundamental flaw inaccurately suggests and justifies the concept that people of color are “inferior” to other races on a biological and genetic level. Dr. James discusses how this misconception is evident in research studies, especially in medical journals, which are primary sources of information in medicine. She provides insights into the harmful effects of the lack of editorial neutrality in medical journals, such as the Journal of the American Medical Association, blocking scholarship of racism and findings in research. The Institute of Antiracism in Medicine is designed to train clinicians to recognize implicit biases by providing tools to serve as advocates for their patients, understanding how to engage in the topic of racism, and ultimately eliminating racism from the healthcare system. Dr. James explains confronting racism and implementing change requires a clear understanding of its foundation. The first steps to creating change involve identifying your influence and recognizing relationships in your life.  Connect with Dr. Brittani James:www.drbrittanijames.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/drbrittanij/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-institute-for-antiracism-in-medicine/Connect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/inonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/

Aletha Maybank, MD, MPH currently serves as the chief health equity officer and senior vice president for the American Medical Association (AMA) where she focuses on embedding health equity across all the work of the AMA and leading its Center for Health Equity.She joined the AMA in April 2019 as the association's inaugural chief health equity officer to launch AMA's Center for Health Equity. Prior to this, Dr. Maybank served as the founding deputy commissioner for the Center for Health Equity at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Aimed at strengthening equity efforts and transforming organizational culture, the Center became a model of success recognized by NYC leadership, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization. She was instrumental in infusing equity at the neighborhood level and advancing the department's place-based approach to addressing health inequities. She also set precedence with groundbreaking work at the Office of Minority Health in the Suffolk County Department of Health Services while serving as the founding director.Main Topics Dr. Maybank's desire to be a doctor from a very young age and her journey to a career in public health (2:42) The intersection of media and public health and how she landed a starring role in a commercial with Doc McStuffins (8:12)  How Dr. Maybank founded Center for Health Equity and how it led to her role at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (15:45) The history of health equity and how it's evolved and the importance of properly defining terms (21:00) What is the AMA, Dr. Maybank's role as the first Chief Health Equity Officer of the AMA, and the history of health equity within the association (27:34) The COVID-19 pandemic's impact on her early days at the AMA and how it influenced her strategies  (32:42) Why Dr. Maybank doesn't like the term DEI (35:51) An overview of key health equity policy documents produced by the AMA (40:07) Dr. Maybank's key priorities, including equity action plans from different departments, working directly with health systems, emphasizing equity and innovation, and reconciling and repairing some of AMA's harmful past (44:15)   Episode Linkshttps://www.ama-assn.org/news-leadership-viewpoints/authors-news-leadership-viewpoints/aletha-maybank-md-mphAdvancing Health Equity Strategic Plan: https://www.ama-assn.org/about/leadership/ama-s-strategic-plan-embed-racial-justice-and-advance-health-equity Advancing Health Equity: A Guide to Language, Narrative and Concepts: https://www.ama-assn.org/about/ama-center-health-equity/advancing-health-equity-guide-language-narrative-and-concepts-0 In Full Health Initiative: https://www.ama-assn.org/about/ama-center-health-equity/full-health-initiative-advance-equitable-health-innovation Connect with Aletha:https://www.linkedin.com/in/aletham/https://twitter.com/dralethamaybankConnect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/https://twitter.com/inonhealthinonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/Listen, rate, and subscribe!Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts

André Blackman is a strategist, eco-system builder and entrepreneur, working in public health and social innovation. Founder and CEO of Onboard Health, specialized executive search and advisory firm focused on creating a more inclusive healthcare industry.In this episode we discuss his personal journey and career, his views of DEI, and what is required to sustain efforts to build a more equitable health system in the United States.Main Topics André's journey to a career in public health science and community impact and his desire to work toward systemic change and not project-based DEI work (2:59) André's early career in strategic communications and digital PR and his work on various federal health projects with the CDC (10:21) Intersectionality of race and culture as a child of immigrants and how George Floyd and the BLM movement led to Onboard Health (12:57) The origin story of Onboard Health and what the workforce needs to build a more sustainable and equitable future of health (20:47) Onboard's work as a specialized executive search and talent and culture advisory firm for companies who embrace equitable practices (22:27) How companies are trying to address DEI and some of the best practices of those companies trying to do this sustainably (26:03) The key differences between health equity and DEI and the importance of proper definitions (31:20) The skills, values, leadership approach needed in making a difference in healthcare system and bringing that to our BIPOC and diverse populations (36:02)   Episode Links Katie Couric's Stand Up to Cancer Foundation: https://standuptocancer.org Fortune 40 under 40: https://fortune.com/40-under-40/2020/andre-blackman/  Connect with André:https://www.onboardhealth.cohttps://twitter.com/mindofandrehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/andreblackman/Connect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/https://twitter.com/inonhealthinonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/Listen, rate, and subscribe!Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts

Ashlee Wisdom is a writer, healthcare professional and challenger of the status quo. She's the co-founder and CEO of Health in Her Hue, a digital platform that connects Black women and women of color to culturally sensitive healthcare providers, health content and community. She's a champion for health equity and has a passion for taking an equitable approach to healthcare innovation. Most recently, she worked for Junto Health, where she was the program director for the strategic venture group.In this episode, we dive into her personal journey, what lead her to start Health in Her Hue, her challenges and successes as an entrepreneur, and her experience raising venture capital as a woman of color.Main Topics Ashlee's origin story of growing up in the Bronx in New York City after immigrating to the United States from the Bahamas and how the inequities she witnessed lit a fire in her to speak up for injustice. (03:13) Ashlee's education background, beginning at Harvard pre-med and how it led to a passion for public health and policy (9:00) The origin story of Health in Her Hue (HIHH) (13:13)  Providing culturally relevant health content for Black women through online content and social media (19:55) How Ashlee developed the downloadable app with little to no funding and no coding experience (26:05) The strategy for HIHH's growth in the B2B space (26:38) Ashlee's grand vision for being the go-to platform for healthcare for women of color (30:55) The challenges faced as founders of color/diverse founders when raising funds and how Ashlee developed her venture capital/investor strategy (32:07) How HIHH fits into the health equity conversation by building and designing solutions tailored to underserved populations (40:07) Black women's role in healthcare for families and communities (42:22) Skills, value and leadership needed to transform the inequitable healthcare system in the United States (44:10) Episode Links:https://healthinherhue.comConnect with Ashlee:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashlee-wisdom-mph-7114a040/https://www.instagram.com/ashleejwisdom/https://twitter.com/AshleeWisdomhttps://www.ashleewisdom.comConnect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/https://twitter.com/inonhealthinonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/Listen, rate, and subscribe!Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts

Dr. Félix Manuel Chinea is the Head of Health Equity & Inclusion Strategy at Doximity where he applies an equity-centered, inclusion lens to impact people, practices, and products. He is a graduate of Duke University School of Medicine with experience in health disparities and health equity research. Through this work, he highlighted the need for disaggregated data within the Latine community to address disparities in prostate cancer outcomes.Main Topics Dr. Chinea shares his journey to digital health and the areas of health equity and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). He also shares about how he learned about social justice in college and medical school, where he learned he could combine passion for science and justice. He also opens up about his experience in medical school as Latine student and the obstacles he faced. (6:20) Doximity is a HIPPA-compliant platform, connecting healthcare professionals—similar to LinkedIn. The platform also allows for better connectivity between clinicians from diverse backgrounds. Dr. Chinea talks about the platform's telehealth tool and how his team is using it to address health equity from a telemedicine perspective. (8:19) Dr. Chinea and KP explore how health equity fits with DEI in strategies developed at Doximity through building diverse teams and fostering an inclusive culture. (13:27) How to get a framework in place and and how creating an equitable process creates an equitable product (15:49) Dr. Chinea shares how his current role was developed and how it emphasizes the importance of leadership being invested in furthering DEI. (19:30) Dr. Chinea explores clinicians' perspective of DEI and how content and information is shared through Doximity. (22:00) Dr Chinea shares his near-term priorities at Doximity to improve representation from diverse backgrounds, invest in people data and insights, and how he plans to develop goals and incentives to achieve this. (24:41) KP and Dr. Chinea explore the importance of evaluating ongoing data and developing trust among staff and employees. (28:42) The leadership required to build a more equitable and just healthcare system in the United States (31:06)   Episode Linkshttps://www.doximity.com Connect with Félix:https://felixmchinea.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/felixmchineamd/https://twitter.com/felixmchineaConnect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/https://twitter.com/inonhealthinonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/Listen, rate, and subscribe!Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts

Ashley Moretz is the Director of Primary Care and Rural Health for the Utah Department of Health. His department coordinates a range of federal and state programs aimed at improving the health of Utah's rural and medically underserved residents. Prior to his current role, Ashley served as a senior advisor around global social performance with Chevron Corporation. He's also worked within the global health and development. He spent 12 years leading country-level programs, including public health activities on behalf of the USAID in Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kazakstan. In this episode, we'll talk about Ashley's professional journey and how it translates to his work with the Utah Department of Health today and his observations of health equity and how it relates to primary care and rural health.Main Topics Ashley's professional journey that began in international trade in New York and eventually led to his role with the Utah Department of Health where he assumed his current position two weeks before COVID hit (2:50) The similarities and differences in primary care and rural health in the United States versus other countries, including how healthcare is financed and workforce challenges in rural areas (5:30) The current structure of healthcare in Utah, the Utah Medicaid expansion in 2020, and the upcoming consolidation of the Department of Health and Department of Human Services (8:00) Identifying health professional shortages and how federal programs seek to address shortages (11:23) Barriers to access to care in Utah, including large, low-population geographic areas, lack of transportation, health illiteracy and stigma—and the programs and initiatives that have been implemented to address these issues (15:31) COVID's impact on the utilization of telehealth and the evolution of digital innovation, enabling communication with populations and patients wherever they are  (18:18) How Ashley's team works with the Indian Health Systems (IHS) to serve indigenous populations (21:50) The different partners that help Ashley's team reach their objectives, including rural hospitals, the Association for Utah Community Health, the primary care grants program, certified rural health clinics, and community care and outreach grants (22:57) The law that was passed to establish a certification process for community health workers (25:43) The importance of leadership being willing to look at new ways to do the work and having diversity in the leadership (27:05) Episode Linkshttps://ruralhealth.health.utah.govConnect with Ashley:https://twitter.com/ashleymoretzhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-moretz/Connect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/https://twitter.com/inonhealthinonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/Listen, rate, and subscribe!Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts

Elizabeth “Betsy” Bradley is the president of Vassar College and is one of the leading healthcare policy experts in the United States, including on the topic of social determinants of health. Betsy was on the faculty at Yale University for more than 20 years and most recently was the director of the Brady-Johnson Program in Grand Strategy. She's written more than 300 peer-reviewed papers and three books, including The American Healthcare Paradox.Betsy joins KP to discuss the importance of placing greater focus on the social determinants of health in the context of healthcare in the United States. Betsy talks about her journey to writing a bestselling book on the topic, leadership in health care, and diversity equity and inclusion. Main Topics Betsy's early career and her journey to health care policy and management and the pivotal moment in her career as a hospital administrator the lead to a passion for advancing better healthcare (4:00) How teaching an undergrad course in health policy at Yale University led to writing an op-ed for The New York Times and eventually her bestselling book, The American Healthcare Paradox (8:05) Answering the question of why does the United States spend so much money on healthcare but have worse health outcomes compared to other countries and how striking a better balance between social determinants and medical care could be the transformative answer (10:00) Betsy's experience successfully leading Vassar College through the COVID-19 pandemic through organizational resilience, constructive conflict, a value system of equity, and maintaining alignment with a common goal (17:02) The younger generation's focus on the intersection of social justice and health care as well as a greater emphasis on mental health (25:58) Vassar's partnership with Columbia School of Public Health (27:36) The skills, values, leadership necessary in transforming healthcare system and the need for empathy in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) (29:15)   Episode Links The American Health Care Paradox: Why Spending More is Getting Us Less The New York Times Article: "To Fix Health, Help the Poor"  https://www.vassar.edu/faculty/ebradley Connect with Betsy:https://twitter.com/ehbvassarConnect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/https://twitter.com/inonhealthinonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/Listen, rate, and subscribe!Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts

Dr. Nathan T. Chomilo is Medical Director for the State of Minnesota's Medicaid and MinnesotaCare programs and practices as a General Pediatrician and an Internal Medicine Hospitalist with Park Nicollet Health Services/HealthPartners. He received a Zoology degree from Miami University (Oxford, OH) and graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School. He completed his combined residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota and was the Pediatric Chief Resident at the University of Minnesota Children's Hospital. His advocacy work has included the impact early childhood intervention and healthcare access have on the long-term prospects of our children and how physicians and health systems can address racial & health equity. In this episode, we discuss his personal background and the important work he is leading in Minnesota to reduce health disparities. Dr. Chomilo tells the story about his parents who both grew up in West Africa and both entered the medical field when they arrived in the United States and how that played a big role in his journey to becoming a doctor and an advocate for helping people navigate the healthcare system.Dr. Chomilo discusses the impacts that the killings of Philando Castile in 2016 and George Floyd in 2020 had on his career, directing his focus toward addressing structural racism in the healthcare system. He helped to start Minnesota Doctors for Health Equity, which focused on protecting the social safety net, educating physicians on their role in addressing health and racial equity as citizens and advocating in front of legislature.KP asks Dr. Chomilo about his journey to taking on the role of Director of Vaccine Equity during COVID-19 pandemic. He was also a part of the advisory committee for vaccine allocation priorities and framework, which included making recommendations for how the COVID-19 vaccine should be allocated. Following the Trump Administration's decision to prioritize adults 65 and older, Dr. Chomilo and his team quickly began to see great disparities in vaccination rates among minority groups. He discusses the initiatives and steps taken by his team to work to bridge those gaps in the state of Minnesota.KP and Dr. Chomilo discuss his new role as the Senior Equity Advisor to the Minnesota Commissioner of Health and his response to broader systemic disparities around the state. They discuss a recent report released in February 2022 titled “Building Racial Equity Into the Walls of Minnesota Medicaid” and the findings, lessons and outcomes related to racial disparities and structural racism within the Minnesota Medicaid system.The conversation shifts to leadership within the world of public health. They discuss Dr. Chomilo's recent commencement speech at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health graduation ceremony where he shared the importance of living intentionally in the season where you are, the importance of leaning into discomfort, and the unique challenges sure to be faced by a new group of public health professionals.Connect with Dr. Nathan Chomilo:https://twitter.com/ChomiloMDhttps://www.healthpartners.com/care/find/doctor/90257/https://www.facebook.com/DrNateMNConnect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/https://twitter.com/inonhealthinonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/

Dr. Medell Briggs-Malonson, MD, MPH, MSHS is the Chief of Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion for the UCLA Hospital and Clinic System and a practicing emergency room physician. She is also an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. In her current role, she is responsible for the implementation and oversight of organizational structures and initiatives that promote inclusivity and equity among UCLA Health staff, patients, and communities.In this conversation, we cover Dr. Briggs' journey as a leader in both health equity and diversity, equity, and inclusion both locally and nationally. We discuss how UCLA Health approaches these topics and some of the important insights she has regarding leadership principles to improve the U.S. healthcare system.From a young age, Dr. Briggs knew she wanted to become a doctor from a very young age and how she was exposed to the need for changes in the healthcare system, especially among the minority community. Her passion grew through her involvement in various organizations throughout college. And it was during her time at Harvard Medical School when she decided to go into public health policy and systems redesign. She also shares about her experience as a woman of color and the obstacles she faced and overcame to get to where she is today.In her role with UCLA Health, Dr. Briggs is charged with taking care of people within the organization, their patients and their communities. As a healthcare system, their #1 role is to provide equitable care. Within the organization, she makes sure they are promoting an environment that is inclusive, respectful, and celebratory of diversity. KP and Dr. Briggs discuss the intersectionality of health equity in how we treat patients and equity, diversity, and inclusion within our organizations—and how both are required in today's healthcare. In order to advance health equity, Dr. Briggs believes you have to start with the people providing the services. She expands by talking about the process she went through to ensure that equity principles are being interwoven into the day-to-day practices and procedures to get to the systemic change they are looking to achieve. The two also discuss the financial impact of reducing health disparities and how it drives the financial game plan of an institution. Dr. Briggs dives into the responsibilities of health systems to being part of the communities and addressing the social drivers that play a larger role in overall health outcomes. She shares a couple practical initiatives of UCLA Health, including the Homeless Healthcare Collaborative, which deploys medically equipped vans throughout LA community to treat those experiencing homelessness.As a true data expert, Dr. Briggs also gives listeners insights into how UCLA Health is using a robust approach to better understand who they're serving, how well they're serving, and any possible inequities that need to be addressed. KP and Dr. Briggs round out the conversation by discussing landmark federal legislation that she has played a key role in drafting, including the Equal Care for All Act, which is the first piece of legislation that holds providers and organizations accountable for inequitable outcomes. Connect with Dr. Briggs:https://twitter.com/MedellBriggsMDThe Visionary Leader: 7 Solutions to Implement Successful Change in Modern HealthcareConnect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/https://twitter.com/inonhealthinonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/

In this season, we will continue to discuss themes related to health equity in the United States. We are also going to dive into the topic of diversity, equity, and inclusion and how it relates to reducing health disparities.The conversations will continue to bridge personal narrative and the important work of our national and local leaders. We will continue to speak with entrepreneurs, thought leaders, community advocates, policy makers, and politicians regarding the nuance of these topics and practical solutions that are working in communities.We will also take on the theme of leadership—specifically around the types of skills, values and approach that can make a difference in transforming the U.S. healthcare system.

Chelsea Clinton, Phil, MPH, joins KP in this episode of the InOn Health podcast. Chelsea is a longtime public health advocate and the vice chair of the Clinton Foundation where she works to improve the lives and inspire emerging leaders across the United States and around the world. In addition to her Foundation work, Chelsea teaches at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and has written several books for young readers, including many New York Times bestsellers. She is also the daughter of former U.S. President Bill Clinton and former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.KP and Chelsea discuss the definition of health equity and its context through the lens of the COVID-19 pandemic. Chelsea points out that prior to COVID conversations surrounding health equity were primarily focused on the individual level. Post-COVID, she hopes that the work around health equity and justice can shift to a more population level.They also explore the dynamics surrounding the COVID-19 public health issue and its divisive nature in our country and around the world. Chelsea shares her thoughts on the wide-spread criticism and questioning of health and scientific experts and how to combat the spread of misinformation.The conversation also covers the United States' role in the global vaccine effort. Chelsea gives her thoughts how we can safely and effectively vaccinate the world and on the effectiveness of the Biden administration in this effort. She also shares how the Clinton Foundation is coming alongside the fight.KP and Chelsea round out their conversation with discussion by talking about the importance of investing in getting more women involved in these conversations and in positions of leadership.Connect with Chelsea:https://www.facebook.com/chelseaclintonhttps://twitter.com/ChelseaClintonConnect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/https://twitter.com/inonhealthinonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/

Dr. Brandi Jackson, chief behavioral health officer at Howard Brown Health, and Kevin Dedner, CEO and founder of Hurdle, join KP in this episode of the InOn Health podcast. Dr. Jackson and Kevin address the structure of the mental healthcare system in the United States. They elaborate how the current system lacks effective therapeutic alliance for people of color in the U.S, resulting in poor provider fits and patients terminating therapy prematurely. For example, 50% of Black Americans terminate therapy sessions prematurely, compared to 33% for other general populations. Dr. Jackson and Kevin explain this dynamic is due to a lack of education in the training process, leaving psychiatrists and clinical psychologists unprepared to help treat diverse populations. Hurdle is a mental healthcare platform focused on delivering culturally intentional mental healthcare, consisting of virtual therapy services and self-mastery tools. To combat barriers of the current mental healthcare system, Hurdle trains its providers with evidence-based techniques dedicated to developing cultural humility and culture responsiveness. Kevin explains how this approach emphasizes listen more and talk less, improving therapeutic alliance and provider fits for patients. This foundation of care enables a safe space for patients, allowing providers to assess what prevents patients from showing up fully to each session and removing those barriers. Cultural humility and responsiveness have demonstrated a reduction in terminating therapy prematurely.Kevin discusses the hypothesis that self-care is a pathway to teletherapy. As people dedicate time to healing and normalize new habits, they are more likely to transition more easily into therapy. Ultimately, everyone wants their experiences, family history, and culture to be honored across all areas of life, especially in therapy sessions. Dr. Jackson is the co-founder of The Institute of Antiracism in Medicine. This organization trains clinicians to recognize implicit biases by providing tools to serve as advocates for their patients, understanding how to engage in the topic of racism, and ultimately eliminating racism from the healthcare system. Links:The Joy of the Disinherited: Essays on Trauma, Oppression and Black Mental Healthhttps://www.kevindedner.com/Hurdlehttps://www.hurdle.health/The Institute for Antiracism in Medicinehttps://whatismedicine.com/Connect with Dr. Brandi Jackson:https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbrandi/https://twitter.com/drbrandijConnect with Kevin Dedner:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-dedner-mph-/https://twitter.com/kdednerhttps://www.instagram.com/kevin_dedner/Connect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/https://twitter.com/inonhealthinonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/

Dr. Veronica Gillispie-Bell joins KP in this episode of the InOn Health podcast. Veronica is the senior site lead and section head for women's services at Ochsner Health. She is also the medical director for the Perinatal Quality Collaborative and Pregnancy Associated Mortality Review for the Louisiana Department of Health. Veronica discusses implicit bias and structural racism within the United States healthcare system. She explains how systemic policies and laws have created and upheld systemic disparities. Veronica addresses maternal mortality and the gaps between black and white women. For example, a black woman with a college degree is twice as likely to experience severe maternal morbidity compared to a white woman with an eighth-grade education. Veronica explains that this gap is a result of implicit bias, micro-aggressions, and social conditioning. Veronica further explains race is a social condition, not a biological condition. She elaborates how this construct connects to racial-residential segregation—physical separation of groups into different neighborhoods (ex: black people living near black people, white people living near white people). Veronica outlines the negatively distinct living conditions associated with this concept. For example, minority neighborhoods experience higher crime levels, less green space to remain active and exercise, and lower property taxes—less funding for education and public schools—resulting in an environment that does not support good health. Veronica breaks down the concept of social conditioning by discussing how black and brown people are portrayed in the media and how the portrayal creates stereotypical perceptions, influencing people's biases. Implicit biases create negative interactions between patients and healthcare providers, resulting in micro-aggressions and poor health outcomes. Veronica shares Ochsner Health created a physician diversity and inclusion council to address and prevent implicit bias on an internal level. She also discusses two separate initiatives designed to reduce maternal mortality/morbidity and improve care for substance-exposed dyad (mother and baby). Veronica presents final thoughts addressing how telehealth has the potential to narrow or broaden health gaps, dependent on infrastructure and proper access to technology.Connect with Veronica:https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-gillispie-bell-md-mas-29b3206a/https://twitter.com/nolaobgynConnect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/https://twitter.com/inonhealthinonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/

In this episode of the InOn Health podcast, Neil Lewis Jr., assistant professor at Cornell University, joins KP to discuss systemic and structural issues of inequity in American society and how they relate to health inequities and disparities. Neil explains how these themes correlate to behavioral science and public health communication. Neil's passion for research initially led him to study educational inequality. His findings acquired understanding factors leading to disparities in educational outcomes, ultimately leading to the study of health disparities and health equity issues due to similar undermining factors demonstrated in both domains. Researching environmental injustices is also integrated into his work because it is a driving disparity in education and health. Neil explains how America's history of class, race, and segregation created a precedent for how people live and structured society, impacting present-day outcomes. Neil breaks down the concept of behavioral science and its purpose—multi-disciplinary disciplines drawing insights from economics, communication, sociology, and psychology to understand people's behavior. The findings are utilized to apply suitable messaging and design policies to change behavior when appropriate. Neil explains Americans from different demographic backgrounds have distinct understandings of how the United States operates. When the COVID-19 pandemic initially hit the United States, “The Great Equalizer” misconception emerged. When shocks to the system occur, those in good positions end up better off while those in poor positions suffer. He describes how people end up living in different worlds given society's structure, making it psychologically difficult to understand each other's experiences. Neil addresses how policies in the U.S. have included and excluded people from different social institutions, varying access to resources, and limiting contact with people who are different than themselves. This dynamic creates segregated social networks, impacting interpersonal interactions like doctors and patients—minority patients with white doctors can be awkward and uncomfortable, undermining trust and resulting in worse health outcomes.  Neil's research enables decision-makers to determine which strategies are appropriate, depending on the audience and which behaviors they are trying to change. Public health communication is a form of persuasion, with three primary aspects:1) The source and how it is perceived2) The message and what it means in the context3) The audience and how their experiences shape the way they hear itLinks:Why Many Americans Can't See The Wealth Gap Between White And Black America:https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/why-many-americans-dont-see-the-racial-wealth-gap/Connect with Neil:https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-lewis-jr-551b1b18/https://twitter.com/NeilLewisJrConnect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/https://twitter.com/inonhealthinonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/

In this episode of the InOn Health podcast, Carrie Paykoç, director of the Office of eHealth Innovation in Colorado, joins KP to discuss the intersection of public policy and technology and how it works to support all Coloradans for their health and wellbeing. Before joining Colorado's Office of eHealth Innovation, Carrie previously held various positions in non-profit organizations, healthcare startups, and tech companies. The Office of eHealth Innovation launched in 2015 through executive order to establish strategy, policy, coordinate funding across Colorado. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the office primarily focused on implementing projects and initiatives to fulfill Colorado's health priorities. The Office of eHealth Innovation developed the state strategy in 2017, creating a roadmap for initiatives and developing methods to measure progress. Carrie outlines two primary initiatives:1) Advancing health information exchange and data sharing2) Aligning and advancing care coordination to support communities and infrastructure for delivering information effectively These initiatives enabled more agility and flexibility regarding prompt responses during a public health crisis. Carrie outlines the purpose of health information exchange, which focuses on stewarding information to various healthcare providers to ensure understanding of the patient to ensure necessary service and support. She addresses current challenges to instill the best delivery methods, which involves catching up to current technology standards based on current rules, regulations, and interpretations of when and how information is shared (policy constraints). Carrie provides an overview of social health information exchange—regardless of record or application, information can be exchanged freely. This concept addresses someone's needs like housing and food while assessing adequate and available resources. Carrie discusses how health equity can evolve to serve everyone—assess policy, laws, and rules—and examine the barriers in place. If so, create the necessary change to prevent poor outcomes and situations. An opportunity to advance health equity involves enabling access to healthcare affordably and effectively through sharing information and appropriate services and treatments when/where needed. Connect with Carrie:https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-yasemin-payko%C3%A7-b189b517/https://twitter.com/OeHI_ColoradoConnect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/https://twitter.com/inonhealthinonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/

Joy Lewis—senior vice president of health equity strategies at the American Hospital Association—joins KP in this episode of the InOn Health podcast. They discuss the impact of hospitals in reducing health disparities for various populations in the United States. Joy reveals the vision of the American Hospital Association, which focuses on achieving a society of healthy communities with individuals reaching their highest potential for health, where everyone receives the necessary support to live the healthiest life possible. She provides insights into how (modifiable) societal factors influence health outcomes and conditions. She describes the advancement of health equity demonstrated as:"We will know we've achieved health equity when the quality of care that's rendered does not vary based on characteristics like race, ethnicity, gender, geographic and socioeconomic status.” Joy explains advancing health equity involves removing structural barriers—dismantling the existing structure requires implementing more just action, such as creating a moral case of listening to patients as the first step. She explains how hospitals are the most influential institutions in the communities they serve. She further elaborates how the health/medical industry should pivot towards a more inclusive community partnership, involving co-designing and co-developing health equity solutions, ultimately creating sustainable solutions. Joy discusses the path to advancing equity and eliminating disparities requires the ongoing development of products, information, and resources. She outlines the evolvement in data-gathering—traditionally focused on race, ethnicity, and language—now pivoting to include sexual orientation, gender identity, and social needs. She elaborates how this data—including other factors like housing conditions, food insecurity, and transportations needs—impacts people's abilities to engage in their health. Collecting this data would serve as a guide to provide the proper clinical support while eliminating biases to ensure it does not negatively impact patients.  Connect with Joy Lewis:https://www.linkedin.com/in/joyalewis/https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-hospital-association/https://twitter.com/joylewisMPHhttps://twitter.com/IFD_AHAConnect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/https://twitter.com/inonhealthinonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/

In this episode of the InOn Health podcast, Chris Pusey, chief operating officer at Rural Partners in Medicine, joins KP to discuss the current challenges of rural healthcare in the United States. Before joining Rural Partners in Medicine (RPM)—an organization dedicated to developing sustainable models for providing specialty care to rural populations across the United States—he served eight years in private equity investing in healthcare services businesses and later pursued entrepreneurial endeavors focused on health and fitness. Chris addresses how critical access in rural communities has evolved and the gaps in rural healthcare, particularly specialty medicine. The issue is often rooted in the lack of consistent work/demand in rural areas for full-time surgeons. He further shares the two typical models in rural areas:Model #1: Outreach - Specialty surgeons and doctors commute to rural areas and provide a free clinic to the hospital and its patientsModel #2: Full-time employed doctor - More challenging to recruit in rural areas, a difficult financial decision if work does not equate to a full-time basisChris outlines the pros and cons of each model, explaining how these models do not contribute financial benefits for rural hospitals, lacking long-term sustainable growth, revenue stream, and additional opportunities. To steer away from this dynamic, Chris explains RPM's approach—build programs to the demand of the community. This model reflects via a permanent, part-time basis with a consistent schedule. RPM typically recruits private-practice surgeons, moving from home base to rural communities on a recurring basis. Chris describes how RPM contracts with rural hospitals on a production-style basis, creating economic alignment in the community. He discusses how providing local services improve overall health for the community, enabling more equitable access. Ultimately, providing quality, specialty care to rural communities also improves economic wellbeing. Connect with Chris Pusey:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherpusey/https://www.linkedin.com/company/rural-partners-in-medicine/Connect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/https://twitter.com/inonhealthinonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/

In this episode of the InOn Health podcast, Sarah Dash, president and CEO of Alliance for Health Policy, joins KP to discuss her roles in health equity and healthcare initiatives in the United States. Sarah shares how she pursued a career path in public health policy, inspired by Edward Stierle's biography, A Dance Against Time: The Brief, Brilliant Life of a Joffrey Dancer. Before joining Alliance for Health Policy, Sarah shares her background as a Health Policy Advisor and Senior Legislative Assistant under Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro and Senator John D. Rockefeller IV. She outlines her roles in developing the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act and the Informed Consumer Choices in Healthcare Act, which contributed to the final package of the Affordable Care Act under the Obama administration. Alliance for Health Policy is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization to advance knowledge and education of health policy issues. The organization focuses on bi-partisan engagement with congressional staff to address the nation's health care issues and make proposals for change. Alliance for Health Policy implements solution-focused dialogue regarding all initiatives. Sarah shares some of the health initiatives discussed with congress members, such as behavioral health, maternal mortality, rural access, and the opioid crisis. Sarah and KP discuss the evolvement of health equity. They share how the lack of a clearly defined definition in the United States creates a divide in discussions and impacts policymakers in determining the concept. They further address how societal values contribute to the priorities and outlook of health equity—creating both destructive and constructive criticism. KP explains how constructive criticism can encourage positive discussion and lead to better, more inclusive policies.Connect with Sarah Dash:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahdash/https://www.linkedin.com/company/alliance-for-health-policy/https://twitter.com/SarahJDashhttps://twitter.com/AllHealthPolicyConnect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/https://twitter.com/inonhealthinonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/

In this episode of the InOn Health podcast, KP introduces Dr. Monique Smith, ER physician and founding executive director of Health DesignED. Dr. Smith opens the conversation by sharing her upbringing as a first-generation Jamaican American and how it influenced her to study anthropology as a pre-med student at Harvard University. She explains how she incorporated her anthropology lens into her practice as a practitioner of public health and health systems redesign—providing patient care requires understanding people and their stories. Dr. Smith discusses the concept of equitable, tech-enabled care—stemming from the idea of ensuring people have comfort and trust utilizing virtual care services. She elaborates how people of color, specifically women of color, lack trust with in-person care, often feeling unheard and unseen. This concept serves as the foundation for Health DesignED, an organization dedicated to providing equitable, tech-enabled acute care to diverse patient populations. Dr. Smith describes how this initiative aims to transform the way patients assess and define their medical emergencies, whereas previously determined by healthcare professionals. The overall goal is to incorporate equity into well-being. Dr. Smith explains how developing and designing platforms require an intentional element, like understanding user pain points. Building inclusive products and services require creative and diverse thinking and solutions, which are more likely to be achieved in diverse teams. Dr. Smith provides insights into how a lack of diversity in digital health creates implicit bias, excluding other populations and embedding systems unable to treat people of color in the best way. Dr. Smith addresses one of the prominent barriers in the healthcare system—preconceived notions about how medicine is practiced, not accounting for the diverse ways people experience healthcare and their distinct outcomes.  Connect with Dr. Monique Smith:https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniquesmithmd/https://twitter.com/drmoniqueasmithhttps://twitter.com/HealthDesign_EDConnect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/https://twitter.com/inonhealthinonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/

In this episode of the InOn Health podcast, KP welcomes Troy Bannister, Founder, and CEO of Particle Health, a platform enabling healthcare companies with secure and comprehensive access to medical data. Troy begins the conversation by sharing his experiences working in an ambulance throughout college, which ultimately paved his career in the digital health space and inspiration to launch Particle Health. Troy reveals insights about the traditional barriers often encountered when patients attempt to access their medical records, including the challenges of maintaining organization within the documents. Troy discusses how he examined other tech companies, such as Stripe and Twilio, and their approaches to solving three major issues—fragmentation, privacy insecurity, and data standardization. These insights served as the key foundations for transitioning traditional medical data processes into an electronic experience. Particle Health enables providers to see the full scope of patients' history via data automation, making it easier to build treatment plans and create clear follow-ups. Troy addresses the Anti-Information Blocking Rule (prohibits the restriction of medical information, with patients having the right to access data how they want feasibly) and how this led to initiating Particle Health's beta program with consumer-facing applications. Troy explains that if Particle Health can attain data outside of traditional healthcare spaces like hospitals and clinics and emerge into new technology, that same technology can exist outside of the current healthcare system, resulting in greater competition, cheaper prices, and more innovative thinking. He further explains how this evolvement would unleash a new ecosystem of healthcare. Ultimately, this change would create greater choice for everyone and provide more solutions and easier access to underserved populations.  Connect with Troy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/troy-bannister-259a3235/https://www.linkedin.com/company/particle-health/https://twitter.com/TroyHBannhttps://twitter.com/Particle_HealthConnect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/inonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/

In the fourth episode of the InOn Health podcast, KP welcomes Simmone Taitt, CEO & Founder of Poppy Seed Health. Simmone founded Poppy Seed Health after experiencing a traumatic miscarriage, with no follow-up support or wellbeing services. Her experiences inspired her to become a doula and launch a platform that provides on-demand, 24/7 text access and emotional support for pregnant women and those who experience miscarriages, provided by doulas, midwives, and nurses. Simmone shares how her experiences growing up in a first-generation immigrant family shaped her view of the world and perspective of what defines diversity. She discusses how she integrated these views into her business, making it a priority to create opportunities for women and people of color. She explains how the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the development of Poppy Seed Health, enabling her to build an effective business model and thorough team of investors, primarily inclusive of queer, women-identifying, and women of color. Simmone addresses the maternal health gap for black women, as they are 3-5 times more likely to die in childbirth in comparison to their white counterparts. She explains how a lack of faith in the system prevents people from getting the necessary healthcare. Lack of education, awareness, and resources is a contributing factor in the gap. However, a detrimental factor includes the racist conception that black women have a higher pain tolerance. Simmone aspires to be part of the current disruptive wave occurring in health equity, creating a path forward while tackling the institutions and systems that have sustained the pre-existing health equity gaps.  Links:https://www.poppyseedhealth.com/https://www.linkedin.com/company/poppy-seed-health/Connect with Simmone Taitt:https://www.linkedin.com/in/simmonetaitt/Connect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/inonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/

This episode of the InOn Health Podcast features Colorado Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera. She is a lifelong Coloradan and is a leading patient advocate who has spend three decades fighting for every Coloradan's access to quality, affordable healthcare.The Lieutenant Governor talks about how the early years of her professional career opened her eyes to the need for equitable and affordable access to healthcare for everyone. Both as a vocational rehabilitation counselor and a customer service professional in healthcare policy and financing, she was able to witness many of the inequities in the system first-hand.Lt. Gov. Primavera also opens up about her story as a breast cancer survivor. She shares how her personal journey with cancer as an unemployed, single mother influenced how she views the importance of healthcare at an individual level. She believes that when a patient is fighting for their life, they shouldn't have to worry about how they're going to pay their medical bills.KP and the Lieutenant Governor also explore the initiatives and actions taken by the  Governor's Office to improve the affordability and accessibility of high-quality healthcare for all Coloradans—including the passing of House Bill 21-1097 to establish a behavioral health administration and the launch of The Office of Saving People Money on Health Care. They also explore the State's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and how it has influenced their view on health equity.Connect with Lt. Governor Primavera:https://ltgovernor.colorado.govhttps://www.facebook.com/LtGovofCO/https://twitter.com/ltgovofco?lang=enhttps://www.instagram.com/ltgovofco/?hl=enConnect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/inonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/

Dr. Brittani James, family physician and Co-Founder of The Institute for Antiracism in Medicine, joins KP in the ongoing discussion addressing health equity. Dr. James begins the conversation by sharing her upbringing, witnessing segregated systems in and outside the healthcare system. She reveals how the Covid-19 pandemic spotlighted the racial disparities in the healthcare systems and the mental health impact on the Black community. While attending medical school at the University of Michigan, Dr. James reflects learning how black individuals are more inclined to experience health issues, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, but never taught the explanation of why. She further explains how race is often regarded as a biologically distinct entity, which has led to false conclusions that people of color are biologically different. This fundamental flaw inaccurately suggests and justifies the concept that people of color are “inferior” to other races on a biological and genetic level. Dr. James discusses how this misconception is evident in research studies, especially in medical journals, which are primary sources of information in medicine. She provides insights into the harmful effects of the lack of editorial neutrality in medical journals, such as the Journal of the American Medical Association, blocking scholarship of racism and findings in research. The Institute of Antiracism in Medicine is designed to train clinicians to recognize implicit biases by providing tools to serve as advocates for their patients, understanding how to engage in the topic of racism, and ultimately eliminating racism from the healthcare system. Dr. James explains confronting racism and implementing change requires a clear understanding of its foundation. The first steps to creating change involve identifying your influence and recognizing relationships in your life.  Connect with Dr. Brittani James:www.drbrittanijames.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/drbrittanij/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-institute-for-antiracism-in-medicine/Connect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/inonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/

The InOn Health podcast premiere features Eric Parrie, an educator, social entrepreneur, and CEO of COVIDCheck Colorado. Eric led CovidCheck through statewide testing and vaccination access initiatives throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. InOn Health partnered with COVIDCheck Colorado to support school communities and organizations, children, and their families while communicating news and services effectively.KP and Eric discuss some of the significant influences during the pandemic, addressing the roles of public health, community organizing, and health equity—all contributing factors to overcoming the virus and providing a path forward in healthcare. Eric provides insight into confronting health inequities, which requires trust, partnerships, and relationships. COVIDCheck Colorado adapted to the needs of vulnerable communities by tailoring messaging that made testing, tracing, and vaccination more available, accessible, and convenient.Eric reveals how COVIDCheck Colorado started from the ground-up at the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, primarily developing and measuring equity metrics. After gathering data, the organization implemented two goals: 1) increase testing volume, 2) provide testing to most vulnerable individuals/communities. Eric explains the metrics that define high-risk, which is more than a question of race, poverty, and health history—it is ultimately an intersection of all three. As the ultimate goal is herd immunity, it is strongly dependent on community health, which varies and relies on the overall action and vaccination rate of communities, neighborhoods, and counties. The Covid-19 pandemic has created a generational impact in serving communities, acknowledging inequity and health, resulting in increased action and commitment on individual levels. For example, Eric reveals that there are record-number applications for medical school and public health education. As technology will be an influential factor in the future of healthcare, it will not be the ultimate solution until there is an effective balance between the two aspects of public health— 1) health, science, and research, 2) showing up and listening to people's stories.  Connect with Eric Parrie:linkedin.com/in/ericparrie/covidcheckcolorado.org/Connect with KP:linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/inonhealth.com/podcastinonhealth.com/

Health equity issues in our country have been around for decades – largely impacting communities of color and rural areas. When it comes to economic and racial disparities in health the evidence is clear. This is more than a hot topic. Covid-19 has exposed the underbelly of how social determinants of health and racial disparities play out in our country. What we need now is to impart lasting change.Welcome to the InOn Health podcast. I'm your host Kaakpema Yelpaala, and I'm the co-founder and CEO of InOn Health.In this season we're going to be talking about health equity.  We'll be talking to entrepreneurs, thought leaders, investors, and other industry experts in healthcare and public health. The topics we'll cover will range from racial disparities in health to digital innovation for diverse populations, and ultimately how we build better policy to more inclusively serve everyone around their healthcare needs.Join me on this podcast series to not only be inspired by our leaders but also to get insight on how we can all take action.