Strategies to Address Health Response Inequities

As a physician and advocate, I've seen the stark realities of healthcare inequality up close. It's a multifaceted challenge, deeply rooted in socioeconomic disparities, systemic barriers, and historical injustices. Yet, it's not insurmountable. We have the tools, the knowledge, and the collective will to forge a more equitable future in healthcare. The path forward involves a holistic approach: 1️⃣Embrace Preventative Care: Early intervention can prevent conditions from escalating into serious diseases. Community-based health education and accessible preventative services are key. 2️⃣Expand Telehealth: Telehealth can transcend geographic and transportation barriers, making healthcare accessible for all, but we must ensure it's equitably deployed. 3️⃣Diversify the Healthcare Workforce: A workforce that reflects the diversity of the population it serves can improve patient outcomes and trust. 4️⃣Advocate for Policy Change: Systemic change is essential. We need policies that ensure universal healthcare access and tackle the social determinants of health. Change won't happen overnight, but each step brings us closer to a healthcare system defined by its inclusivity and equity. Let's work together to make healthcare a right, not a privilege. #HealthcareEquity #SystemicChange #PreventativeCare #Telehealth #DiversityInMedicine #PolicyChange

How do you redesign specialty care delivery when geography, workforce limitations, and infrastructure stand in the way?    In this episode, I sit down with Paul Rosen, MD, MPH, MMM, Professor of Pediatrics at West Virginia University, a former official at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and the first pediatric rheumatologist to serve both West Virginia and the Northern Navajo Medical Center in Shiprock, New Mexico.    Together, we explore the structural and clinical realities of rural healthcare and the unconventional strategies that may hold the key to expanding access.     Strategic Takeaways  • Redesign specialist workflows to expand reach.  Hybrid models that combine telehealth with select in-person visits can help specialists serve more patients, especially in underserved regions, without adding full-time capacity.  • Translate national initiatives into local solutions.  Insights from CMS value-based care programs, like pre-op optimization and proactive care coordination, can be adapted to meet the unique demands of rural care delivery.  • Build sustainable models that protect your workforce.  Flexible scheduling, part-time roles, and better triage processes help prevent burnout while making the most of limited specialist availability.  • Use telehealth to strengthen care (not just simplify it).  Virtual care offers more than convenience. It creates new visibility into the patient’s home life and can drive smarter follow-up, better referrals, and reduced travel burden.  • Create systems for sharing what works.  Peer learning communities and cross-institutional collaboration can accelerate innovation in rural care without waiting for national policy shifts.  What creative strategies have you seen work to improve rural healthcare access? 🎧 Listen to the podcast—https://lnkd.in/gg9Yph3T

In healthcare, we talk about the social determinants of health: 📍 Zip code 💰 Income 🍎 Access to food 🏥 Access to care But there’s another layer we’re not talking enough about: 🖥️ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵. If a patient can’t use the portal, access telehealth, or navigate their benefits app…it doesn’t matter how “patient-centered” the system claims to be. Digital health has created new forms of exclusion: • Confusing UX locks people out before they even start. • Platform overload forces patients to juggle apps, logins, and portals that don’t talk to each other. • Low tech literacy means older adults or underserved groups get left behind. • Unstable internet access turns virtual care into a virtual wall. • Lack of accessibility means people with disabilities face barriers that others don’t even notice. If we’re serious about health equity, we have to widen the lens. 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀. So what can we do? ✅ Build intuitive, inclusive platforms that reduce cognitive load. ✅ Involve patients of all backgrounds and abilities in user testing. ✅ Design for low bandwidth and offline scenarios — not just the latest iPhone. ✅ Prioritize accessibility from day one, not as a checkbox later. The future of health isn’t just about who you are or where you live. It’s about whether the system knows how to meet you where you are. — What would you add to the list of digital determinants of health? Let’s make sure we’re not designing digital walls in the name of digital progress.

🚨 The Urgent Need for Healthcare Policy Reform in the U.S. 🚨 Despite being one of the most advanced healthcare systems globally, the U.S. still struggles with significant access issues. Over 25 million Americans remain uninsured, and millions face barriers due to high costs, workforce shortages, and inequities in care. The time for bold, data-driven policy change is now. What needs to happen? ✅ Expand Insurance Coverage States expanding Medicaid have shown better health outcomes and reduced financial burdens. Let’s make this universal. ✅ Leverage Telehealth Telehealth surged during the pandemic, breaking barriers for rural and underserved communities. Policies ensuring permanent reimbursement parity and interstate licensure are vital. ✅ Address Workforce Shortages A projected 124,000 physician gap by 2034 is alarming. Investments in training, residency funding, and rural incentives can alleviate this. ✅ Regulate Drug Pricing Pharmaceutical costs are the highest in the world. Expanding Medicare’s drug negotiation could save $100 billion in 10 years and reduce patient out-of-pocket costs. ✅ Advance Health Equity From racial disparities in maternal mortality to geographic challenges in rural care, equity-focused programs can deliver life-changing impacts. ✅ Shift to Value-Based Care Focusing on outcomes, not volume, could reduce costs by $1.9 trillion over 10 years, improving chronic care and prevention. ✅ Strengthen Public Health Systems The pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in our public health infrastructure. Investing in preparedness, workforce, and disease surveillance is non-negotiable. Why It Matters: Healthcare isn’t just about treating illness; it’s about empowering lives. These reforms are not mere wish lists—they are imperatives for a healthier, more equitable America. It’s time for policymakers, providers, and stakeholders to collaborate and act. The health of millions depends on it. #HealthcareReform #AccessToCare #HealthEquity #PolicyChange #ValueBasedCare

“We can’t talk about health equity without talking about our schools.” - Vanessa N. Robinson, DrPH, MPH https://lnkd.in/gijkFXGM Dr. Robinson was a podcast guest for me in the past and her study in the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities draws a clear line between rising school segregation and worsening racial health disparities—from life expectancy to infant mortality. Even as residential segregation held steady from 1991 to 2020, school segregation increased—and with it came deeper divides in health outcomes between Black and White Americans. But we’re not powerless. This research points to four key interventions that could bend the curve: 1) Rezone for equity. School district lines too often mirror segregated housing patterns. Redrawing boundaries and implementing controlled choice plans can disrupt concentrated disadvantage and create more racially balanced schools. 2) Create joint health–education equity strategies. Public health leaders should collaborate with school districts to align resources, share data, and target disparities. Think: equity dashboards, school-based health initiatives, and shared accountability for student well-being. 3) Make school integration a public health goal. Federal and state health agencies should formally recognize school integration as a social determinant of health—and invest accordingly. Health equity goals can’t be met without confronting educational segregation. 4) Reverse policy backslides. Many of the gains from the 1970s and 1980s were undone in the '90s when legal mandates were lifted and resegregation quietly took hold. Local, state, and federal policies must re-commit to protecting and advancing integration. This study makes one thing painfully clear: segregated schools aren't just an education issue—they’re driving multigenerational health inequities. If we’re serious about health equity, we need to start upstream. That means treating school integration as public health infrastructure. #HealthEquity #StructuralRacism #EducationPolicy #PublicHealthLeadership #SchoolIntegration #SocialDeterminants #PolicyChange

While CEOs navigate economic challenges, a shifting political climate, and fast-paced technological changes, they also must remain focused on health benefits. Traditionally, this has been through the lens of insurance, copays, and deductibles, but there’s an increasingly clear business case to address a broader range of employee needs, including social drivers of health. The impact of social needs on health have been well-documented among people who receive their insurance through Medicare or Medicaid, but less so for the nearly half of Americans with commercial insurance.   For starters, we need to debunk the misconception that having job-based coverage means having reliable health care access. For example, in a March 2025 report (linked here), Morgan Health found that families making less than $50,000 per year were almost five times more likely to delay medical care due to cost, and over three times more likely to report prescription-related financial hardship and difficulty paying medical bills, compared with those with annual incomes of more than $150,000. Why should employers worry about social drivers of health? It’s simple: A satisfied workforce drives loyalty and retention, and a healthier workforce creates opportunities for increased productivity and – more broadly - economic growth in the United States.    With that in mind, the JPMorganChase Benefits team is tracking results from its Vera Whole Health advanced primary care program that’s been available to roughly 20,000 employees and their dependents in Columbus, Ohio, since 2022. Last year, Vera developed a new process where providers screen every established patient for social needs – such as family concerns, workplace stress, social and emotional support, and finances - and provide employer-sponsored resources and local referrals if needs are identified.   Through the first quarter of 2025, Vera completed 317 screenings and found that 44% of participants had at least one social need, down from the 51% observed in 2024.   How could other employers learn from our experience?   Companies with existing primary care partners could have those providers implement similar screenings and referrals. When that isn’t feasible, employers may consider other effective approaches, such as strengthening awareness and utilization of Employee Assistance Program offerings, exploring existing food insecurity and financial instability programs offered by insurance carriers, holding benefits partners accountable on addressing social needs, and collaborating with community partners.   Let me know your thoughts. Is your employer doing anything to focus here? https://lnkd.in/eChjy-Bw

Let's Seize the Opportunity to Address Social Drivers of Health within #medicaid managed care! The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a spotlight on the critical role that social determinants of health (SDOH) play in influencing health outcomes for our Medicaid populations. Even before the pandemic, states were taking steps to tackle these social factors, but the crisis has amplified the urgency of this work. This Health Affairs blog explores three key opportunities for Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) to address SDOH: 1. Invest in data infrastructure to improve care coordination. Robust data collection and sharing are essential for identifying members with social needs and ensuring they receive appropriate interventions. MCOs can leverage data analytics to develop targeted outreach programs and track progress towards population health goals. 2. Incentivize collaboration between MCOs and community-based organizations (CBOs). CBOs are uniquely positioned to address a wide range of social needs, from food insecurity and housing instability to transportation and behavioral health. By partnering with CBOs, MCOs can connect members with vital support services and bridge gaps in care. 3. Embrace flexibility in SDOH service delivery. Medicaid programs should explore innovative approaches to delivering SDOH services, such as telehealth, mobile health units, and peer support programs. These strategies can help to overcome traditional barriers to care access, such as transportation challenges and limited childcare options. By prioritizing these opportunities, Medicaid managed care can play a pivotal role in promoting health equity and improving the well-being of our most vulnerable populations. #medicaidmanagedcare #socialdeterminantsofhealth #populationhealth #healthquity https://lnkd.in/gKeiUTjR

Bridging the Healthcare Financing Gap in Emerging Markets! A significant concern for emerging markets is the prevalence of out-of-pocket payments for both public and private services. For instance, approximately 75% (2020) of all health expenditure in Nigeria is out-of-pocket. Addressing the financial gap for health services in emerging markets is a complex challenge that requires a strategic approach. The goal is to establish a coherent system that delivers maximum value for the citizens and ensures equitable access to health services. Here are some examples of strategies to consider. They may seem common sense, but implementation can be challenging. It underscores the need for more systemic thinking in addressing healthcare financing gaps in emerging markets. 1. Evaluate Fiscal Space: Assess the government's budgetary capacity to maintain or enhance healthcare spending, both now and in the future. Identify the gaps and plan services more intelligently to get more value from every dollar spent. Formulate sustainable health financing strategies that adapt to fluctuating economic conditions and health needs. 2. Foster Public-Private Collaboration: Explore how appropriate partnerships between public and private sectors can help fund health services and infrastructure. 3. Aim for Universal Health Coverage: Maintain the focus on universal health coverage, which hopefully guarantees everyone access to necessary health services without financial hardship. 4. Allocate Resources Efficiently: Utilize available financial resources more effectively. Plan and prioritize essential health services in a more organized way by aligning provisions and removing programmatic silos. 5. Explore New Health Insurance Models: Given the fiscal gaps in many countries, it may not be viable to replicate comprehensive models like the UK's NHS. There's an urgent need to investigate various public and private health insurance models that fit the country's context and needs. 6. Invest in Digital Health Innovations: Allocate resources to health technology, including digital health and artificial intelligence, to reach underserved populations and enhance service delivery. 7. Seek but align and Integrate International Support: International organizations and donors can help fill the financing gap, particularly in low-income countries. However, this should ideally be done in a way that does not result in long-term dependency, and all inward funding should be coordinated through government planning. 8. Establish Regulatory Frameworks: Set up regulatory frameworks that incentivize investment in healthcare and ensure transparency and accountability. The out-of-pocket scourge impacts the public and private health sectors in many countries. The fault does not automatically reside with public or private providers but a failing financing system. When planning new or updated services, we must ask who pays and how this does not become an unrealistic out-of-pocket burden.

🌟 AI in Healthcare: Priorities for Action 🚨💡 The National Academy of Medicine's latest report, Artificial Intelligence in Health and Healthcare: Priorities for Action, underscores an urgent need to address stark disparities in AI adoption. While AI has the power to transform healthcare—improving outcomes, reducing costs, and accelerating solutions—progress has been slow, leaving rural and under-resourced systems far behind. Without immediate action, these gaps will only widen. 🔑 Action Steps ✅ Policy Overhaul 🏛️ Establish harmonized guidelines to ensure AI technologies are safe, effective, and equitable. Policymakers must address gaps and align standards to promote trust, transparency, and widespread adoption. ✅ Incentivize Adoption 💰 Empower underfunded healthcare systems through financial support and technical assistance. These measures will help democratize AI access and ensure every community benefits from these advancements. ✅ Real-World Testing 🔬 Commit to rigorous pre-deployment testing and continuous monitoring. AI solutions must be adaptable to diverse populations and real-world conditions, ensuring equitable outcomes for all. 🔭 The Future is in Our Hands This is a call to action for healthcare leaders, policymakers, and innovators: collaborate to create a trusted, equitable AI strategy. AI can revolutionize healthcare—but only if equity and trust are at its core. 📄 Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/g6h7DWPv 🚀 Let’s shape the future of healthcare together! Drop your thoughts below. 🌍👇 #AI #HealthcareInnovation #EquityMatters #DigitalHealth #FutureofHealthcare #HealthTech #AIEthics #HealthEquity #HealthTransformation #DigitalTransformation #TechForGood #Innovation #MachineLearning #DataDrivenHealthcare

The pharmaceutical industry has a significant role to play in advancing the NCD agenda -- and it's not just about drug prices. Access to Medicine Foundation outlines four key opportunities to combat the rising tide of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). ➡️ Diversify Clinical Trials: Currently, less than half of clinical trials by major pharmaceutical companies occur in LMICs, which house nearly 80% of the global population. Expanding trials to these regions ensures treatments are effective across diverse populations. ➡️ Develop Comprehensive Access Plans: While two-thirds of R&D projects target NCDs, only 57% of late-stage projects have access plans, often limited to upper-middle-income countries. Early and inclusive planning can expedite access to life-saving treatments. ➡️ Diversify Production: Encouraging voluntary licensing and technology transfers can bolster local production and ensure sustainable access to essential medicines while demonstrating long-term returns to pharma investors. ➡️Enhance Transparency: Publicly sharing data on access strategies and patient reach fosters accountability and drives equitable healthcare solutions. Read more: https://lnkd.in/di2-ZdgH #GlobalHealth #NCDs #PharmaInnovation #HealthEquity