The Health Disparities Podcast

Healthcare disparities in paradise? Hawaii Lt. Gov. Josh Green, MD, discusses health equity leadership and Hawaii’s COVID response with Bill Finerfroc...

Hawaii has long held the record for the highest average life expectancy in the US. The islands also enjoy some of the lowest COVID-19 infection and mortality numbers along with high vaccination rates. Dr. Green attributes near-universal healthcare coverage and a strong emphasis on primary care with Hawaiians good life expectancy, but Native Hawaiians live comparatively shorter lives. Parts of Hawaii are still in many respects the frontier, with poverty rates exacerbated by COVID’s impact on tourism, and difficult access to specialist care being important aspects of the disparities equation.

At the epicenter of the COVID first wave, safety-net hospitals were vital community assets. featuring Dr. Wayne Riley.

Back in the early days of the pandemic, SUNY Downstate President Dr. Wayne Riley found himself leading a major health system responsible for the care of some of the most vulnerable communities in New York City through unprecedented times. As the hospitals filled up with COVID patients his teams had to simultaneously support their staff and plan their response for patients. Dr. Riley discusses some of the immediate steps they had to take in response, from dealing with a lack of PPE to mitigating an immediate oxygen shortage. Many hospitals have found themselves stretched to breaking point both financially and in terms of staffing, and many hospitals have closed. Dr. O’Connor and Dr. Riley discuss the vital role that safety net hospitals play in care of patients in both urban and rural environments, and the margin pressures and funding shortfalls that are causing a crisis in the care of underserved populations.

Health Law & Policy Roundtable: Health Equity Priorities in 2022

Recorded at the Movement is Life Caucus, our panel of health law thought leaders continue their discussion about the shaping of American law to reduce health disparities and protect human dignity.  Featuring Frank McClellan, JD, LLM, Law Professor Emeritus from Temple University and author of “Healthcare and Human Dignity”; D. Deone Powell, ESQ, from HIV and primary care organization Philadelphia FIGHT; Cara McClellan, JD, from The NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund; and caucus keynote speaker Daniel Dawes, JD, from Morehouse School of Medicine, author of “150 Years of ObamaCare” and “The Political Determinants of Health.”

Profiles in Health Equity: Calvin Johnson, MD, MPH.

Dr. Calvin Johnson, MD, MPH, has built his varied career at the intersections of medicine, data science, and public health. This episode explores a wide range of topics related to health equity in a fascinating discussion, including the historical significance of Morehouse School, the importance and vulnerability of safety net hospitals, addressing the enduring issue of limited access to care for some populations, and the importance of data analysis and proactive information dissemination for problem solving and crisis management.

Healthcare for the homeless, featuring Kelly Bruno, CEO National Health Foundation.

Kelly Bruno, President & CEO of the National Health Foundation joins us to discuss healthcare for the homeless. California has a disproportionate share of the nation’s homeless population, approximately 161,000 of the total homeless population of 580,000. The National Health Foundation, a California-based organization focused on recuperative care in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, offers medical respite care programs as an equitable pathway to health and housing for people experiencing homelessness. It’s an approach that can mitigate some social determinants and barriers to care and build community in the process.

Physical therapy: uniquely positioned to help address chronic conditions and health disparities.

October is Physical Therapy Month, and this year the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) has a new campaign. Orthopedist Dr. Mary O’Connor meets with Dr. Hadiya Green Guerrero, a senior practice specialist at APTA, and Dr. Drew Contreras, APTAs Vice President of Clinical Integration and Innovation, to discuss the #ChoosePT campaign. Dr. Green Guerrero and Dr. Contreras also share some of the reasons they became physical therapists, and explore the many benefits of PT, including its potential for addressing chronic conditions and health disparities. Dr. Contreras also shares the advice that he gave to help President Barack Obama move more, something which everyone can follow. 

Meeting our neighbors at the intersection of environmental justice and health equity.

“From the health community, we recognize that climate change is a public health issue, and we stand ready to address that. I’m so proud that this administration has named the first office in HHS that is going to address Climate Change and Health Equity.”  ~ Dr. Doris Browne. Sequel to Episode 101.

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and the benefits of workforce inclusion and diversity.

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), originally called Workplace Affinity Groups, began in the 1960s in response to racial tensions in the United States. These groups have roots in the desire to advocate for employees and give them a space at work to be their best authentic selves. To what extent are ERGs making a difference in benefiting employees, their employers, and the many stakeholders engaged with organizations, including patients?

Flatlining revisited: The extra burden of equity work in the intra-COVID era.

In her book Flatling, released in 2019, Dr. Adia Wingfield articulated how the burden of equity initiatives furthering diversity and inclusion in healthcare is being disproportionately shouldered by the very populations these initiatives intend to support. Today our panel revisits Flatlining and explores the additional implications of the pandemic for equity work during this “new-new economy,” and discuss some of the challenges and solutions in leading organizational change towards culturally sensitive care and minority representation.

Innovation as a solution to health inequities. Featuring K’ept Health CEO Sheena Franklin.

After experiencing care that did not align with her expectations, Sheena Franklin has embarked on a mission to make dermatology more accessible and equitable. In today’s episode K’ept Health CEO Sheena Franklin discusses how innovation can take us closer to personalized and equitable healthcare.