The Health Disparities Podcast

Operation Change: Breaking the cycle of pain, immobility and chronic illness, one woman at a time

Americans are on track to need 1 million knee replacements annually by the year 2025. The rate of disability caused by degenerative joint problems is also on a rise. At the same time, rates of physical activity continue to decline, and sedentary lifestyles and obesity are becoming the main cause of diabetes and heart disease. 
It's a vicious cycle of pain, immobility, chronic illness, all of which impact underserved populations most. It’s why Movement is Life created Operation Change – an evidence-based behavioral change program focused on grassroots community interventions. 
Operation Change has programs running in cities across the U.S. In today's episode, Health Disparities podcast host Chiara Rodgers speaks with two people involved in the Operation Change chapter in St. Louis:
Dr. Darlene Donegan, program director for Operation Change St Louis
Dr. Kiaana Howard, assistant professor of physical therapy and orthopedic surgery at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis
A note to our listeners: Operation Change will be featured at Movement Is Life’s upcoming annual summit, which brings together stakeholders from diverse backgrounds to discuss healthy equity challenges and actionable solutions. 
This year’s theme is: "Health Equity: Solutions from Healthcare Leaders.” The summit will take place in Atlanta, Georgia, from November 14 to 15. Registration is now open – find all the details at our website, and get signed up today!
Never miss an episode – be sure to subscribe to The Health Disparities podcast from Movement Is Life on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Medical Mythbuster explains why you should attend Movement Is Life’s Annual Summit

Movement Is Life’s annual summit brings together stakeholders from diverse backgrounds to discuss healthy equity challenges and actionable solutions. 
This year’s theme is: "Health Equity: Solutions from Healthcare Leaders.” The summit will take place in Atlanta, Georgia, from November 14 to 15. 
Movement Is Life is honored to have Joel Bervell as a plenary speaker at our upcoming 2024 annual summit. Bervell is a Ghanaian American medical student and science communicator known online as the “Medical Mythbuster.” Through viral social media content, Bervell addresses racial disparities, the hidden history of medicine, and biases in healthcare.
Bervell says he appreciates Movement Is Life’s emphasis on community-based programs, clinician education about health disparities, and health policy. He’s excited to attend the summit and meet other like-minded people who are passionate about health equity.
“By breaking that cycle of understanding that disparities exist and talking about it, we can start to reach equity,” Bervell says.
Bervell speaks with Health Disparities podcast host Dr. Mary O’Connor about the 2024 Movement Is Life summit and the exciting slate of hands-on workshops and plenary speakers, including Dr. Arline Geronimus, Dr. Louis Sullivan, and Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice.
Registration is now open for Movement Is Life’s annual summit – find all the details at our website, and get signed up today!
Never miss an episode – be sure to subscribe to The Health Disparities podcast from Movement Is Life on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hospitals & Health Equity: What it takes to bring about real change in healthcare systems

It takes time, energy and financial resources to bring about change within an organization. Healthcare organizations are no exception. 
Health systems that are serious about centering health equity need to put their money where their mouth is, says compliance and DEI consultant Linda Howard. In practice, this means centering equity in both their mission statements and their budgets.
“You have to allocate resources. When people start seeing resources being allocated towards things, they start to take it more seriously,” Howard says. 
Howard speaks with Health Disparities podcast host Christin Zollicoffer about what it takes to bring about real, lasting change in health systems. They also discuss the possible compliance and legal consequences health systems can face if they fail to address health inequities, and why the investment in health equity is worth it.
This episode rounds out our 5-part series on Hospitals & Health Equity. Find previous episodes from this series by subscribing to The Health Disparities podcast from Movement Is Life on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Registration is now open for Movement Is Life’s annual summit! Find all the details at our website, and get signed up today!

Hospitals & Health Equity: A first-of-its-kind statewide initiative aims to center equity in health care operations

Hospitals and health systems can play a big role in addressing healthcare disparities in our nation. It's the focus of our latest podcast series. Today, we zero in on a statewide health equity initiative that is first of its kind in the nation. 
Through a historic 1115 Medicaid waiver, Massachusetts hospitals have made a commitment to come together with the state to embed equity into the foundation of their operations. 
“This really does entail an intentionality on the part of our hospital systems that I think is unmatched in many ways — an intentionality and a will and a drive and a desire to do this work," says Izzy Lopes, Vice President of health equity for the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association.
Health Disparities podcast host Dr. Mary O’Connor speaks with Lopes about the statewide initiative that aims to address healthcare disparities. Lopes explains why it’s important to prioritize people over percentages, use data to drive health equity strategies, and collaborate with community partners to address patients’ health-related social needs. 
Never miss an episode – subscribe to The Health Disparities podcast from Movement Is Life on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hospitals & Health Equity: Addressing health disparities is both a moral imperative – and a patient safety and quality issue

Racial and ethnic minorities and other underserved groups receive unequal medical treatment, contributing to the myriad disparities in health outcomes that we see today. This notion is supported by a growing body of research stemming back decades.
The Joint Commission has recognized the horrible impact of health disparities in America, and the group is taking action, says Kathryn Petrovic, vice president for accreditation and certification product development at the Joint Commission. The accrediting organization launched a new health care equity certification program in 2023 that recognizes hospitals that are “making health care equity a strategic priority, and collaborating with patients, families, caregivers, and external organizations to identify and address needs that help translate equitable health care into better health outcomes,” Petrovic says.
Health Disparities podcast host Claudia Zamora speaks with Petrovic to learn more about TJC’s health equity initiatives. Petrovic also explains how resolving healthcare disparities is both a moral and ethical requirement, and a fundamental patient safety and quality of care imperative. 
Never miss an episode – subscribe to The Health Disparities podcast from Movement Is Life on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hospitals & Health Equity: What role can hospital rankings play in promoting health equity?

Hospitals and health systems can play a major role in addressing healthcare disparities in our nation. In our latest episode – part of our hospitals and health equity series – we zero in on hospital rankings and how the metrics that are used can compel health systems to take much-needed action on health equity. 
“If hospitals were to focus more on health equity, they would be fulfilling both a moral responsibility as well as a legal responsibility,” says Tavia Binger, a health data analyst at U.S. News and World Report. “Nonprofit hospitals are actually required to spend portions of their revenue on community benefit activities – like providing care that is free or at a reduced cost for patients who can't afford to pay – in exchange for their tax exempt status.”
In addition to the latest U.S. News Best Hospitals rankings, published on July 16, U.S. News has also introduced health equity measures and has released a list of hospitals excelling in health equity by “providing vulnerable populations with substantial access to high-quality care,” Binger says.
Health Disparities podcast host Dr. Mary O’Connor speaks with Binger about how U.S. News and World Report is working to promote health equity. They also discuss how healthcare consumers can use hospital rankings to understand whether the hospitals in their communities are doing their part to provide care that is both high-quality and equitable.
Never miss an episode – subscribe to The Health Disparities podcast from Movement Is Life on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hospitals & Health Equity: The importance of understanding patients' cultural backgrounds in healthcare

Every person brings their own cultural background into their encounters with the healthcare system.
But this doesn’t mean that every healthcare provider needs to develop an encyclopedic knowledge of every culture in order to provide equitable, high-quality care to every patient.
“The truth of the matter is: that could never be done. I'm Puerto Rican, Latino, and even among Puerto Ricans, there's a great difference in lived experience, exposure to health care and the like,” says Dr. Joseph Betancourt, president of the Commonwealth Fund.
But there will be times when a person’s cultural background affects their ability to access the health care they need. In those cases, Betancourt says it’s important that providers be equipped with the right tools and resources to assess how those cultural factors may come into play.
Health Disparities podcast host Dr. Mary O’Connor speaks with Betancourt about the importance of culturally competent care — what it is, and what it’s not. They also discuss the need for ongoing training to address cultural differences and structural barriers, and share about recent developments in health policy and health care that give them hope.
Never miss an episode – subscribe to The Health Disparities podcast from Movement Is Life on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Can predictive AI reduce health disparities in orthopedic surgery? This UK researcher aims to find out

Artificial Intelligence is transforming health care. The promise of this technology is enormous and is already being realized to increase the accuracy of diagnoses, promote patient engagement, increase efficiency in health care and lower costs.
It’s even being used to identify patients at risk of disease and predict patients who might be good candidates for medical procedures. 
Done well, AI tools can help ensure patients with the greatest need for orthopedic surgery are prioritized for care, and help reduce health care disparities, says Luke Farrow, an orthopedic and trauma surgeon and clinical researcher at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. 
But without proper considerations, “you can ultimately end up with AI systems that worsen those health disparities, which is obviously the last thing we want. And there is definitely evidence out there to suggest that does happen if we're not careful.”
Health Disparities podcast host Dr. Mary O’Connor spoke with Farrow about AI and health equity, and about his ongoing research on the use of AI to help general practitioners in the UK know when it is appropriate to refer patients to orthopedic surgeons for consideration of hip and knee replacement surgeries. 
Never miss an episode – subscribe to The Health Disparities podcast from Movement Is Life on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Healthcare hurdles: Exploring disparities and solutions for underserved communities

For too many people in the U.S., health care is unaffordable and not accessible. Even patients who have health insurance coverage can be confronted with barriers that keep them from accessing the health care that they need.
And research shows health disparities are rampant, with health care access — and outcomes — worse for people of color and other marginalized groups.
The new State of Patient Access report from the PAN Foundation breaks down these disparities and highlights next steps for creating more equitable access to care. 
“Our goal with the project was really to understand the challenges that adults living with chronic conditions every single day face accessing the care they need,” says Amy Niles, the PAN Foundation’s health policy expert and Chief Mission Officer. “More importantly, our goal was to understand what disparities exist, and there were some significant disparities between various groups and communities.”
To learn more about the report, and what can be done to help overcome barriers to care for underserved communities, Health Disparities podcast host Dr. Ramon Jimenez spoke with  Niles, along with Adrianna Nava, president of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses.

From Crisis to Care: How Boston's BEST Program is Redefining Mental Health Support

Mental health is an important part of our overall health, but many people confront barriers that keep them from accessing the mental health care they need.
A program in Boston aims to  address mental health disparities by disrupting traditional health care models. The Boston Emergency Services Team, or BEST, is led by Dr. David Henderson, chief of psychiatry at Boston Medical Center. 
BEST brings together mental health providers, community resources, law enforcement, and the judicial system to deliver care to people in need of mental health services.
Henderson says bringing mental health providers alongside police responding to calls for service for mental health needs has helped reduce the number of people with mental illness ending up in jails and prisons.
“The criminal justice system has, by default, become one of the largest mental health systems … around the country as well,” Henderson says. “People with mental illness are in jails and prisons, at a percentage that they really should not be.”
Henderson speaks with Health Disparities podcast host Hadiya Green about what it takes to ensure people in need of mental health services get the help they need, why it’s important to train providers to recognize unconscious biases, and what it means to provide trauma-informed and culturally sensitive care.