The Health Disparities Podcast

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.

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.

Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams has the following message for health equity advocates: forge respectful relationships with people with different viewpoints — and pay close attention to the words you use. “We need to learn to speak in a language that resonates with folks,” Adams says. “When that happens, you will get better policy making.” Adams recounts his experience – both as the 20th U.S. Surgeon General and as the former state health commissioner for Indiana – in an interview with Health Disparities podcast host Claudia Zamora. He also discusses his new book, Crisis and Chaos: Lessons From the Front Lines of the War Against COVID-19, explains why diversity in medicine matters, and talks about the importance of dismantling stigma to increase access to mental health care and addiction treatment.

There’s a long history of racism in both education and health care. But some health equity advocates — including Michellene Davis, President and CEO at National Medical Fellowships — are holding onto hope that real change is possible. “The only reason why I like the name, the title ‘social determinants of health,’ is because anything that has been socially constructed can be socially deconstructed,” Davis said. “Health disparities do not naturally occur in nature, they have been manmade, right? So now it's time for us to unmake them.” In this week’s episode, host Dr. Tamara Huff speaks with Davis, along with Jennifer Holmes, Senior Counsel with the Legal Defense Fund, who works on cases that advance racial justice in the areas of educational equity, economic justice, and voting rights.

Artificial Intelligence is gaining widespread popularity, but despite the growing number of AI applications, many questions remain about how the technology could affect health disparities — for better or worse. “We know how technology has had a disparate impact and harms on people, and medicine has had disparate impact and harms,” says Bill Jordan, a family and preventive medicine doctor based in New York City. “We need to prepare physicians and future physicians to have these conversations with their patients and be able to explain… what the inequities could be based on, what we’ve seen in history, and then also what the opportunities are.” This week on the Health Disparities podcast: hosts Dr. Melvyn Harrington and Doreen Johnson discuss AI — and its pros and cons pertaining to health equity — with Dr. Jordan, along with Maia Hightower, CEO and co-founder of Equality AI, and Rebecca Stone, the executive director of Generation 7 Industries.

It’s important that health care workers provide quality health care. But when it comes to addressing health disparities, clinical care can only go so far, says Dr. Diana E. Ramos, an OB/GYN who now serves as California’s first Latina surgeon general. “It would be wonderful if that 10-minute appointment that a patient just saw me for made the biggest difference in the patient's life. That's not the reality,” Ramos said. “We have to [take] into consideration the environment that the people live in.” Ramos says cross-collaborative partnerships between health care providers and community partners are critical to addressing health disparities. In the latest episode of the Health Disparities podcast, host Dr. Claudia Zamora speaks with Dr. Ramos about what these kinds of cross-collaborative partnerships can look like, and what it takes to improve the health and wellbeing of people in California – and the nation.

Many envision influencers as social media stars with vast followings. But being an influencer is so much more than that. In today’s episode, we redefine the term across various sectors, from health to social justice, and delve into how you can activate your network by using your influence. One thing influencers do is share information throughout their communities to spread awareness about important issues, says Beth O’Connor, the executive director of the Virginia Rural Health Association, “People want to know more,” O’Connor says. “And people who are often in those mineral age groups are thrilled to be able to share that information with the people in their communities helping to influence health care policy.” This week on the Health Disparities podcast, hosts Sharon LaSure-Roy and Sarah Hohman discuss strategies for being an influencer and making a difference with O’Connor, along with Taelor Bakewell, vice president of influence marketing with Edelman, Jerail Fennell, director of marketing and communications at 904WARD, and Dr. Maria Portela Martinez, chief of family medicine at the department of emergency medicine with George Washington Medical Faculty Associates.

Nonprofit organizations rely on funding to execute their mission, but steady funding is not always easy to come by. So, what can leaders of nonprofits do to attract attention — and resources — from foundations and corporations with money to give? Many funders want to understand an organization’s impact — and quantifying and conveying that impact can take many forms, says Velma Monteiro-Tribble, former director of grants and programs for the Florida Blue Foundation. “People think that there is money lying around; money is tighter today,” she said. “And people are looking at those that really can tell the story... Quantifying, to me, doesn't mean that it's always in data and statistics. It’s also through storytelling. And I think that organizations, nonprofits especially, should be in the business of doing that today.” This week on the Health Disparities podcast, hosts Rev. Willis Steele and Dr. Erick Santos join Monterio-Tribble and Al Reid, the former VP of corporate development with Abbott Laboratories. Together, they delve into valuable insights and strategies for attracting funders during challenging times.

In a nation where healthy choices often take a back seat, Dr. Marc Watkins, chief medical officer at Kroger Health, advocates a transformative shift: viewing food as medicine. Watkins is spearheading a mission to eradicate food insecurities, paving the way for a healthier America. “If we’re going to change the way America eats, we have to lead around making sure we have a variety of foods in our stores that represents an adequate format of foods that makes sense for Americans to purchase at the right price,” Watkins says. This week on the Health Disparities podcast, host Dr. Mary O’Connor and special guest Marc Watkins, M.D., discuss the strategy Kroger Health is using to empower customers to make informed and health-conscious choices at the grocery store.

When it comes to self-care, many people think of taking a break due to exhaustion or burnout. But the acts of self-care that make a real difference go beyond self-soothing, says Ariel Belgrave, an award-winning health and fitness expert, wellness consultant, and the founder of Gym Hooky. Belgrave challenges people to consider self-care as an investment in their future selves. “The mindset shift I challenge folks to have is: thinking about the future version of you,” Belgrave says. “...The reality is: Taking care of yourself now could be the difference between your independence and being in a nursing home.” This week on the Health Disparities podcast, host Dr. Tamara Huff and Ariel Belgrave debunk self-care myths and explore alternative approaches to prioritizing yourself using the P.A.U.S.E. method.

Many people who go into medicine come from well-off families and don’t know what it’s like to live in poverty. So when they graduate and become physicians, they can struggle to understand why their therapeutic interventions aren’t improving the lives of their patients. This, according to Dr. Pedro José Greer Jr., is because med schools have not done a great job helping their students understand the social determinants of health — the many nonmedical factors that influence health outcomes. “It's not for the student physician to be able to resolve the social determinants, it's for them to really understand what they are,” Greer said. “Without understanding all these other things, we're not going to make [the] right therapeutic calls. “The health outcomes in this country are embarrassingly bad,” he added. “So we have to be driven to improve those disparities.” Greer is an American physician of Cuban descent and founding dean of the Roseman University of Health Sciences College of Medicine. He spoke with Health Disparities podcast host Claudia Zamora about how to improve medical education, why diversity matters, and why it’s critical that med schools train doctors to show compassion and empathy for their patients. The conversation was recorded in person at the 2023 Movement Is Life annual Health Equity Summit.

Movement is important for a person’s health and well-being. The good news is: many activities that promote movement come with enormous benefits that extend beyond physical health. Today’s discussion features the founders of two organizations that aim to promote physical activity — and build community while doing it. Walk with a Doc began in 2005 after Dr. David Sabgir, a cardiologist in Columbus, Ohio, invited his patients to go for a walk with him in a local park. The program has since spread to more than 500 locations. Semilla Cultural, founded by Isha M. Renta López, is a non-profit organization in the Washington, D.C., area that promotes the development and cultivation of a community that embraces Puerto Rican culture and arts, including by teaching and performing the Puerto Rican musical genre of Bomba. Sabgir and López spoke with Health Disparities podcast hosts Dr. Hadiya Green and Christin Zollicoffer. This conversation was recorded in person at the 2023 Movement Is Life annual Health Equity Summit.

Dr. David Ansell’s book “The Death Gap: How Inequality Kills” was first published in 2017. In a foreword for the book updated in 2020, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot wrote that “Three years before the COVID-19 crisis, Dr. David Ansell published The Death Gap, brilliantly synthesizing what he experienced in decades of practicing medicine in two utterly different medical worlds that were mere blocks apart. What makes this book so compelling is that rather than focusing exclusively on data and statistics, Dr. Ansell makes these gruesome numbers real. He tells the story of the disparities through the real-life experiences of patients with whom he had deep, committed relationships.” In today's discussion Dr. Ansell reflects on the collision between the ongoing epidemic of social and structural determinants of health, and the pandemic of COVID-19. He also shares recommendations for ways that healthcare providers can bring together quality, safety and equity in medicine. David A. Ansell, MD, MPH, is Senior Vice President for Community Health Equity for Rush University Medical Center and Associate Provost for Community Affairs for Rush University System for Health, Chicago. Dr. Carla Harwell is Medical Director, University Hospitals Otis Moss Jr. Health Center; Associate Professor of Medicine, CWRU School of Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine; and Vice Chair for the Board of Directors at Movement is Life. (c) Movement is Life 2023

Can equitable real estate development organization Parity help solve Baltimore's empty housing problem and build Black wealth? Founder Bree Jones and her backers are making it happen. According to a profile in Baltimore Magazine, Bree Jones counts herself among a generation of young Black Americans who are being spurred to activism by high-profile killings of unarmed Black people. These are people who demand accountability on issues involving race, violence, and equality in the U.S. For Bree Jones, a central solution is revitalizing neighborhoods – without gentrification. Her organization, Parity, a non-profit equitable real estate development company, is working in Baltimore to do just that. Visit https://www.parityhomes.com/ for more information. In this episode of The Health Disparities Podcast, Bree Jones tells the story of Parity, and discusses why building Black wealth and impacting social determinants is so important to health, and why so many high profile investors are getting behind the initiative. With host Dr. Michelle Leak, Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, and member of the board of directors for Movement is Life. The Health Disparities Podcast is a program of Movement is Life. This episode was recorded live and in person at Movement is Life’s annual health equity summit. The theme this year was “Bridging the Health Equity Gap in Vulnerable Communities.” (c) Movement is Life 2023

Our guests are health equity practitioners Christin Zollicoffer and Dr. Bonnie Simpson Mason, who discuss programs and initiatives that are making headway in dismantling structural racism with episode host Claudia Zamora. Together they explore a number of different examples and critical success factors that contribute to success, and mention some common mistakes that organizations may make when establishing initiatives. This is the fourth and final episode in our mini-series focused on systemic bias and systemic racism, and we end with constructive forward steps and an optimistic outlook. Christin Zollicoffer is Chief Belonging and Equity Officer at Lifespan Health System. Dr. Bonnie Simpson Mason is the inaugural Medical Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the American College of Surgeons. Claudia Zamora is a consultant who serves on the Board of Directors for the National Hispanic Medical Association and the Board of Directors for Movement is Life. 0:01 Excepts | 2:30 Introductions |5:30 Dr. Simpson Mason shares solution examples | 6:30 Different levels of experiencing oppression | 7:20 Increasing access via Nth Dimensions pathway programs | 9:30 Equity Matters ACGME | 10:45 Medical specialty societies education & communication | 11:45 Christin Zollicoffer shares solution examples | 12:15 Four levels of racism: internalized, interpersonal, institutional, structural | 12:15 Baking in DEI for patients & employees | 15:00 Employee resource groups role | 15:30 Workforce education and skills building | 16:30 Integration of equity practices | 20:15 Community based program Operation Change | 24:00 Importance of trauma informed lens | 29:00 Equity as the 6th domain of care (IOM) | 31:30 Addressing data collection to support equity | 34:00 Claudia Zamora shares examples including NHMA programs | 37:30 Critical success factors for programs e.g. change management & working with the “moveable middle” | 40:10 Definition of equity | 42:15 Common mistakes e.g. tokenism & placing DEI under HR | 46:00 Speaking the language of health equity | 49:00 Are things changing? © Movement is Life 2023

For the third installment of our mini-series exploring systemic bias and racism in healthcare, our panel of experts discuss various examples which illustrate how systemic racism is embedded in systems of healthcare and social determinants of health. These include measurements such as eGFR, BMI, and metabolic panels, scoring for post-operative risk; lack of diversity in dermatology textbooks; and how subjective information that is potentially deleterious to patients may be captured in EMR systems such as EPIC. Episode host Christin Zollicoffer (she/her pronouns) serves as Chief Belonging and Equity Officer with Lifespan Health System, an academic medical center affiliated with Brown University and Warren Alpert Medical School. Dr. Carla Harwell is a nationally recognized leader in health care disparities education and medical issues affecting minorities. She is Medical Director, University Hospitals Otis Moss Jr. Health Center, and Associate Professor of Medicine, CWRU School of Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine. Dr. Daniel Wiznia is Assistant Professor of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Yale University School of Medicine. He is the co-director of Yale's master’s program in Personalized Medicine & Applied Engineering. © Movement is Life 2023

For the second episode in our mini-series exploring systemic racism in healthcare, our panel explores different definitions of bias, stereotyping, systemic racism, and structural racism, and how these behaviors intersect with social determinants of health. Perspectives from both patient and professional viewpoints are addressed. The panel also discuss solutions such as bias training, cultural competency, language competency, self-reflection and mentoring. Dr. Melvyn Harrington is an orthopedic surgeon and Vice Chair for Community Engagement & Health Equity at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Dr. Elena Rios serves as President & CEO of the National Hispanic Medical Association, (NHMA), representing 50,000 Hispanic physicians in the United States. Episode host Dr. Charla Johnson is the Director of Clinical Information Systems & Nursing Informatics, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, in Baton Rouge. 0:20 Introductions | 1:55 How patients experience & express bias | 4:45 Harmful stereotyping | 6:40 Bias in medical record | 8:20 Bias as gatekeeper to college admissions & healthcare careers | 10:05 Systemic factors for healthcare workforce | 11:30 Bias steering students away from premed | 12:30 Importance of bias training | 14:40 Resistance towards bias training | 17:10 Differences between structural racism & systemic racism | 21:10 Role of social determinants of health (SDOH) | 24:05 Bias towards people with obesity | 26:10 Bias leading to inconsistencies and inequities | 27:50 Importance of self-reflection | 28:50 Bias causing patients to disengage | 29:30 Importance of cultural and language competency | 30:15 Role of age bias | 30:45 Bias toward minority healthcare professionals | 34:25 Do professionals & patients understand structural and systemic racism? | 37:10 How NHMA works to educate professionals & patients about bias | 41:00 Closing remarks. © Movement is Life 2023

This is the first of a 4 episode mini-series of The Health Disparities Podcast exploring bias & systemic racism in medicine. The series aims to bring to the surface discussions, definitions, & perspectives about the problem of bias, examples of bias, structural & systemic racism, & examples of programs and policies that are tackling bias & racism. "Unconscious Bias, Yes it is Real" is a useful short guide to understanding unconscious bias, its consequences in healthcare, & some ways to mitigate unconscious bias. It discusses most types of bias impacting the quality of healthcare, including race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexuality, religion, mental health, & weight bias. The "Unconscious Bias, Yes it is Real" booklet is available as a digital download on our website. Movement is Life invites listeners to use the booklet in association with this audio resource as the basis for workshops and discussion groups aimed at improving cultural sensitivity & understanding. 1:35 Introduction – We are all biased | 3:25 What is bias? | 5:30 Types of bias | 8:02 Unconscious or implicit biases | 9:55 Unconscious bias in healthcare | 13:40 Unconscious bias involving weight | 16:12 Unconscious bias involving mental health | 18:20 Unconscious bias involving race & ethnicity | 23:10 Unconscious bias involving gender & gender identity | 28:35 Unconscious bias involving sexual orientation | 30:35 Limitations in research | 32:18 How patients respond to bias | 36:30 Measuring unconscious bias using IAT | 41:50 Counteracting bias in healthcare | 44:30 The LEARN model | 46:00 Glossary | 50:30 Closing comments Unconscious Bias, Yes it Real - Digital Booklet: http://startmovingstartliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Unconscious_Bias_Content_03_print.pdf About Movement is Life https://www.movementislifesummit.org/website/56162/about-movement-is-life/ Narration by Dr. Michelle Leak & Rolf Taylor. Adapted for audio from the booklet & produced by Rolf Taylor. (c) Movement is Life 2023

The Movement is Life Annual Summit is fast approaching, and thanks to philanthropic support from the Zimmer Biomet Foundation, there is no cost to register. Over two days (Nov 30 - Dec 01) a mix of plenary sessions and workshops will feature a stellar lineup of health equity thought leaders at the Renaissance Hotel Downtown, Washington, DC. Online registration: https://www.movementislifesummit.org/website/56162/program/ or Google Movement is Life Summit. In our 150th episode of the Health Disparities Podcast, Dr. Michelle Leak hosts a discussion about Summit highlights, exploring the theme of "Bridging the Health Equity Gap in Vulnerable Communities." Joining Dr. Leak are Movement is Life Chair, Dr. Mary O'Connor, and Vice-Chair Dr. Carla Harwell. Attendees can hear a sneak preview of the program and also consider which two of the four workshops they will want to attend. We hope to see you at the Summit, but if you can't make it there is a plan B, as many of the Summit speakers will be joining us on the The Health Disparities Podcast after the event. (c) Movement is Life 2023. *please note this schedule is not final and is subject to change*

Very few physicians can name Dr. LaSalle Leffall and Dr. Clive Callender as pivotal mentors in their career, and also cite their experiences growing up with sickle cell as another important teacher. In a wide ranging discussion with fellow surgeon and Howard University alum Dr. Randall Morgan, Dr. Frederick explores some of the most important aspects of mentorship. He also discusses developing young leaders in science, the ongoing evolution of Howard University, and the challenges of building a diverse healthcare workforce that is better able to meet the needs of a diverse population. Dr. Frederick also talks about why his frequent visits to Trinidad to teach science are so important to him, and how he will enjoy his upcoming sabbatical. Recorded at the recent National Medical Association annual meeting in New Orleans. Dr. Wayne Alix Ian Frederick is a Trinidadian-American scholar, surgeon, and university administrator. He is currently serving as president of Howard University in Washington D.C. since July 21, 2014. He also serves as the distinguished Charles R. Drew Professor of Surgery. Dr. Randall Morgan is an orthopedic surgeon based in Sarasota Florida, and the Executive Director of the W. Montague Cobb Institute. He also serves on the steering group of Movement is Life.

Michaele Turnage Young, Senior Counsel at Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF), joins orthopedic surgeon Tamara Huff, MD, MBA, to discuss the recent SCOTUS ruling on the Fourteenth Amendment which has impacted affirmative action. According to the Legal Defense Fund, "the Supreme Court has bowed to pressure from anti-civil rights activists, finding that Harvard and the University of North Carolina’s affirmative action programs violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. This radical decision comes at a time when efforts to advance opportunity in education have been under attack across the country, and the need for such programs remains acute." Although the ruling is widely considered as a barrier to DEI efforts, Michaele Turnage Young shares an optimistic analysis of the ruling with Dr Huff. She outlines the many areas of DEI activity that the ruling does not affect, and discusses strategies which admissions officers can adopt. Central to this approach is supporting the mission of the many institutions aiming to address health disparities in underserved communities, where lived experience is a key qualification. For further information on LDF please visit: www.naacpldf.org & www.defenddiversity.org © Movement is Life Inc., 2023 Excerpts: “It’s really important to understand what this ruling does and does not cover.” “It seems to be a coordinated effort to cause a chilling effect, to lead people to retreat from efforts to further equal opportunity. These efforts have not been successful thus far.” “Black students were 13% of US high school graduates, but only 6 % of students enrolled in large selective public colleges, while white students were 50% of US high school graduates and 56% of students enrolled in large selective public colleges.” (2020-2021 academic year). “If you are charged with looking for talent, you want to do so in an objective way that serves your mission, and it might be that the mission of your school has something to do with serving communities that have long gone underserved.” Producer: Rolf Taylor

When the supreme court struck down race-conscious admissions this year, they ended policies of affirmative action that have helped to diversify college campuses since 1978. The ruling is considered detrimental to efforts to cultivate a representative healthcare workforce. At this year’s annual National Medical Association scientific assembly in New Orleans, Dr. Ruth Simmons was the keynote speaker at a symposium organized by the Cobb Institute, in association with Movement is Life (1). In this episode she explores the implications of the SCOTUS ruling with Dr. Tammy Huff, a board director for Movement is Life and an orthopedic surgeon. In 1995, Dr. Simmons became the first African American woman to head a major college or university upon being named president of Smith College. Here, she established the first engineering program at a woman’s college. In 2001 she was selected president of Brown University, making her the first African American woman to head an Ivy League institution. She was later appointed President of Prairie View A&M University, the second-oldest public institution of higher education in the state of Texas. Most recently she joined Rice University, in her home state of Texas, as a President’s Distinguished Fellow, and is an advisor on HBCU engagement to Harvard University. (1) “From Hopwood to Harvard: Anti-Affirmative Action in Higher Education Admissions Amidst Systemic Racism and Historical Racial Inequities in Health.” © 2023 Movement is Life, Inc. Host: Dr. Tamara Huff, Vigeo Orthopedics Production: Rolf Taylor, Project Advocacy Executive Producer: Dr. Randall Morgan, Cobb Institute Excerpts: “Merit has often been defined in the past in a political context. We cannot give so much credit to assertions of merit that are fundamentally rooted in something that is corrupt.” “I want us to begin to talk about human worth in different terms, and not these, I would say, lazy ways of classifying people.” “Seeing yourself as worthy of healthcare, seeing yourself as worthy of education, seeing your family and your children as worthy of something better – is powerful.”

From COVID to Katrina to soaring temperatures, when disasters strike it is our most vulnerable communities that are on the emergency frontline, and it’s our underserved populations who experience the most disproportionate impact – and widening health disparities. The mission of Healthcare Ready is to help build resilient community health infrastructure that is prepared for, can respond to, and able to recover from disasters and disease outbreaks. One of their specific goals is to ensure historically underserved communities and medically fragile populations can access medications and medical care during a pandemic or natural disaster. In this episode, Healthcare Ready’s Executive Director Tom Cotter shares some of the ways that the organization goes about helping to prepare communities for disasters, and how these approaches target the drivers for better health equity. With host Rolf Taylor. © Movement is Life 2023

Research findings from Mayo Clinic & published in the Journal of the American Heart Association at the end of 2022 found that “participating in religious activities, from church services to private prayer, as well as holding deep spiritual beliefs, are linked to better cardiovascular health among Black Americans.” According to Dr Brewer of the Mayo Clinic, multiple socially determined challenges which were magnified by COVID-19 are preventing African Americans from living their best lives by following a healthy lifestyle to prevent heart disease. The recent study focused on better understanding some of the psychosocial influences on health behavior change among African Americans, and in particular following those activities as defined by The American Heart Association’s “Life’s Essential 8TM.” These include eating well, being active, quitting tobacco, healthy sleep, weight management, controlling cholesterol, managing blood sugar, & managing blood pressure. The study found that increased church attendance and spirituality was associated with higher levels of physical activity and less smoking, suggesting that having social support and an optimistic outlook may also encourage individuals to practice healthy behaviors. Today’s discussion features Robert “Clarence” Jones, M. Ed., CPH, CHW, CPE, Executive Director at the Hue-MAN Partnership and a Community Engagement Strategist, along with Mayo Clinic cardiologist and study lead author Dr. LaPrincess Brewer, MD, MPH, whose primary research focus is in developing strategies to reduce and ultimately eliminate cardiovascular disease health disparities in racial and ethnic minority populations and in underserved communities. Dr. Brewer is also an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic. This episode is hosted by Dr. Mary O’Connor, Chair of Movement is Life and Co-Founder of Vori Health. Copyright Movement is Life 2023

In a recent white paper, “Normalize DEI in Your Organization,” professors at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business discuss common barriers to real progress in DEI, and offer evidence-based steps that can help transform DEI efforts from siloed side-projects to core systems embraced throughout an organization’s culture and practices. For this episode of the podcast, one of the authors, a UVA Professor, explores the findings of the white paper with two surgeons, one of whom is her father. Together they discuss the importance of inter-generational change, "positive weirdness" and some unique aspects of DEI in healthcare. The white paper references the following framework: Five barriers and pathways to DEI 1) The Identity Regulation Barrier, 2) The Authority Barrier, 3) The Things Are Working Well for Me Barrier, 4) The Inertia Barrier, 5) The Motivation Barrier. Five pathways to DEI 1) Build a More Inclusive Hiring Process, 2) Design for Intelligent Inclusion, 3) Enable Mindful Conversations, 4) Empower Mentorship and Sponsorship, 5) Leverage Identity. Featuring Professor Laura Morgan Roberts, Associate Professor of Business Administration, Darden Business School, & CEO and Founder, The Alignment Quest Enterprise, LLC; Randall C. Morgan, Jr., M.D., M.B.A., Clinical Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Florida State School of Medicine, President & CEO, Cobb Institute; and episode host Mary O'Connor, MD, Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer, Vori Health, & Chair, Movement is Life. “Normalize DEI in Your Organization” (link to article & White Paper): https://news.darden.virginia.edu/2022/09/02/new-white-paper-normalize-dei/ "Positive Organizing in a Global Society" https://www.amazon.com/Positive-Organizing-Global-Society-Roberts/dp/1848725760 Excerpts “Practice expressing your positive weirdness. It gives others permission to bring out their weird. Differences are assets and resources for organizations, not problems to be solved.” “Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts in the corporate world remain a vortex of passion, malaise, hope and cynicism, despite overwhelming evidence that diverse and inclusive workplaces simply perform better.” “DEI does not often generate the short-term benefits that people would like to see. It requires a long-term, sustained, and often inter-generational investment for us to see those returns.” “A perpetual learning environment should be a goal of any organization that really wants to make an advance with regard to diversity, equity and inclusion.” “We need diversity in thought, and diversity in culture and background, because people bring their life experiences into that filtering process. That all matters if we are going to make good decisions, especially in healthcare, with how we take care of people.” © Copyright 2023 Movement is Life Inc. Host: Mary O'Connor, MD Research & Production: Rolf Taylor

Value-based care has emerged as an alternative and potential replacement for traditional fee-for-service reimbursement, centering quality and outcomes rather than quantity. That is the theory. In practice, value-based care has been shown to exacerbate some disparities in the healthcare system by making it harder for those patients with complex conditions, or being impacted by social determinants of health, to access care. Put simply, if some categories of patient are more financially risky than others to treat, providers may find ways to exclude them – unless checks and balances are put in place to help manage risks associated with SDOH and comorbid conditions. Health policy expert Matt Reiter hosts a discussion featuring Bill Finerfrock from Capitol Associates, and Tom Dorney from The Root Cause Coaltion. Together they discuss the very real danger of widening health disparities resulting from the expansion of value-based care, and the legislative solution proposed by the John Lewis EMMT Act (Equality in Medicare and Medicaid Treatment) which has been reintroduced in 2023 by Rep. Teri Sewell and Sen. Cory Booker. All organizations advocating for health equity are encouraged to help advance the legislation by writing letters of support (template below) to Matt Reiter [email protected] who will coordinate their forwarding to Representative Sewell and Senator Booker. ------------------------------ LETTER OF SUPPORT TEMPLATE Dear Representative Sewell & Senator Booker, I am writing in support of S.1296/H.R.3069, the John Lewis Equality in Medicare and Medicaid Treatment (EMMT) Act of 2023. The EMMT Act would require the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) to include experts in health disparities and social determinants of health as part of the evaluation and review process for new payment models. If enacted, this bill would also require fairness of these new payment methods for women, high-risk patients, patients from racial or ethnic minorities, or patients from rural communities. Lastly, it directs CMMI to develop and test a payment model that is tailored to addressing social determinants of health. While quality and cost are important considerations, equal consideration should be given to the impact a proposed model may have on access to care for women, minorities and beneficiaries residing in rural areas. CMMI is under no statutory obligation to account for social determinants of health when considering new payment models. Indeed, the only factors CMMI must consider when determining whether to approve a new payment model are quality and cost. Because Medicare is the single largest health care payer in the country, and many commercial insurance plans will adopt policies based on Medicare, Congress must ensure that the models approved by CMMI incentivize reductions in minority and rural health disparities and not create barriers to care. We appreciate all that this CMS Administration has done to advance health equity. Passing the EMMT Act will ensure that all new models account for social determinants of health and how the models impact minority and rural populations. Your leadership on eliminating health disparities for women, minorities and beneficiaries residing in rural areas is deeply appreciated. I applaud your leadership on this important bill. The EMMT Act will go a long way towards improving access to quality healthcare for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. On behalf or our organization: Sincerely, ------------------------------ Health Disparities Podcast Episode 143 (c) Movement is Life 2023

One of the recurring themes linked to healthcare in the United States is that where the need is greatest, there you are likely to find the fewest resources needed for resilience to challenges. This is particularly true during a disaster, be it pandemic, hurricane or economic downturn. A year into the COVID pandemic, the St. Bernard safety-net hospital in the South Side of Chicago received an “F” grade on its safety report. Already under disproportionate strain, the management team needed to implement a turnaround. Deploying the Just Culture model and collaborative change principles, the team fostered adoption of improved practices and documentation, resulting in a “B” rating in 2022, and at the time of publishing this episode in May, 2023, St. Bernard Hospital has now scored an “A” Grade. For this episode of the podcast, three members of the team that led those changes share their experiences with our host and Movement is Life Chair, Dr. Mary O’Connor. Featuring Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Daria Terrell MD, Medical Director of Clinical Programming and Health Outcomes, and President of Medical Staff; Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Vietta L. Johnson, MD; and Michael Richardson, RN, Chief Clinical, Quality & Patient Safety Officer. © Movement is Life 2023

Dr. April Kapu, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, FAANP, FCCM, FAAN, is president of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP). She has 30 years of experience in health care and 18 years as an acute care nurse practitioner (NP). Dr. Kapu has committed her career to advancing NP-delivered care and increasing access to NP care across all settings. Currently, she is Associate Dean for Clinical and Community Partnerships, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, with oversight for several nurse-led community practices. In todays episode, which is hosted by NP and rural health expert Mary Behrens, FNP, FAANP, we hear about Dr. Kapu's experiences of meeting NPs across the country during her year of presidency. NP Behrens and Dr. Kapu also discuss some of the reasons why being an NP is now widely considered to be one of the most rewarding careers in healthcare, and explore the importance of building diversity in the profession. This year marks the 102nd birthday of NP founder and advanced practice expert, Dr. Loretta Ford. Dr. Kapu discusses her accomplishments, her commitment to health equity, and the continued mission to make sure healthcare is accessible to everyone, everywhere. Copyright: Movement is Life, Inc, 2023

Carol Redmond Naughton, JD, shares with us some aspects of the proven Purpose Built Communities model, working with local leaders to help them plan, implement, and sustain holistic neighborhood revitalization initiatives that create healthy neighborhoods which include broad, deep, and permanent pathways to prosperity for low-income families. During the discussion she describes the essential role of “community quarterbacks,” and calls upon listeners to look with open eyes and think about the systems that have kept people trapped in poverty, particularly Black and Brown people, and to not blame the victims. Carol believes that we need to recognize that the systems have been broken for so long that they have “broken the place,” but the people remain unbroken. So, when we think about building communities of purpose for children with unlimited human potential, we can find ways to create great places with a “cradle to college pipeline,” and we can change the systems to make it easier to create other great places. With host Dr. Tamara Huff, MD, MBA, Founder and CEO of Vigeo Orthopedics, in Columbus, Georgia, and member of www.movementislifecaucus.com for transcripts of this and other episodes. Excerpts The secret sauce is creating a community quarterback organization. You have got to have an organization that isn’t in the service delivery business, but is thinking about how after the residents have created their vision for the community, how do they implement it? Thinking about how to work with public, private and non-profit partners to actually do the housing, to build the education pipeline, and create those health and wellness amenities. I love Columbia Parc and I am so proud of what the district partners have been able to do since hurricane Katrina. These were three business leaders that really did not know anything about community development at the time, but our mutual connections suggested they to go to see East Lake in Atlanta and learn how it could be the model for the rebuild of New Orleans. We spent two days together and they came home committed to trying to do what nobody had been able to do in New Orleans before. Our network members really encouraged us to elevate economic vitality within our model. Poverty is expensive, if you don’t live within walking distance of a grocery store you will be paying higher prices at the convenience store, if you don’t have a car you will be paying a driver or paying with time on a two hour bus journey. My call to action is to look with open eyes, and think about the systems that have kept people trapped in poverty, particularly Black and Brown people, and to not blame the victims. Recognize that the systems have been broken so long that they have broken the place, but the people are not broken, and if we come at it thinking about how we are building communities for children of God with unlimited human potential we can create great places and we can change the systems to make it easier to create other great places.

Dr. Tamara Huff, MD, MBA sits down with Dr. Alisahah Jackson for a discussion about enhancing the health of every community, and they explore the challenges of building healthier communities against a backdrop of declining health infrastructure, particularly in rural communities. They also discuss the reality of the elephant in the room, that racism exists both in terms of attitudes and bias, and in various structural forms, and how building trust is vital to the displacement of bias. Dr. Jackson is a proven leader in empowering women to improve their health and the health of their families and communities. She was named the first Chief Community Impact Officer at Atrium Health, where she established strategies for Health Equity and Social Determinants of Health. More recently, she became the System Vice President, Population Health Innovation and Policy, at CommonSpirit Health, and is also CEO of Why Health Matters. Dr. Tamara Huff is a member of Movement is Life Steering Committee & Founder & CEO, Vigeo Orthopedics, LLC. Excerpts: “There are decisions that are being made for us that actually drive health outcomes. Economic, policy and investment decisions. People may live in a food dessert. Or a maternity dessert. We have to start acknowledging that these decisions are happening outside of our own decisions about our health behaviors.” “Providers will often label patients as “non-compliant,” and that is a term I encourage everyone to take out of their vocabularies. I simply don’t believe that people wake up in the morning and decide that they want to be unhealthy. Our responsibility as care providers is to identify what the barriers are that people have to achieving great health, and help patients mitigate or eliminate them.” “I was a young African American female physician coming into a community that had only seen one other Black female physician, and I really had to build trust. I’m not going to sugar coat it, there were definitely patients who did not want to see me.” “One of the things I love about Movement is Life is that you are providing resources to help with behavior change. And thank you, Movement is Life, for being an accelerator of these much needed conversations.” “What the data tells us, what the research tells us, is that people who have providers who look like them, who can connect with them, tend to have better health outcomes. Movement is Life has been culturally humble enough to say that things like food are very cultural, it’s one of the things that makes a group uniquely different, so their needs are different. Changes in Hispanic culture are going to look different to changes in African American culture, and different from the dominant culture.”

Dr. Garfield Clunie (NYU Langone) works on the frontline of maternal child health in New York City, where recent policies to standardize treatments are part of efforts to replace outdated race-based decision-making with more equitable care. This insightful conversation, hosted by Dr. Michelle Leak (Mayo Clinic, Florida), covers several discussion areas. Firstly, the importance of the concept of belonging, which Dr. Clunie believes is at least equal to the more commonly referenced trio of DEI. Secondly, addressing the need for patients to receive care from people who look like them, and the challenges in increasing diversity in the healthcare workforce. This includes proactive policies such as resourcing mentorship appropriately so that it is not an additional unrewarded burden to health equity leaders. Dr. Clunie and Dr. Leak also discuss aspects of the Movement is Life annual Caucus experience, and some suggested health equity reads. With host Michelle Leak, DEd, MBA, FACHE, Mayo Clinic, Member, Board of Directors, Movement is Life; and Dr. Garfield Clunie, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine Vice-Chair, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, NYU Grossman School of Medicine/NYU Langone Health, & the 123rd President of the National Medical Association. © Movement is Life 2022-2023. “Diversity is like being asked to attend the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance at the party, equity is having the same space as everyone else in which to dance. But belonging is being involved in the planning of the party and which kind of music is there. So, you are completely immersed with the other participants, and your input is equal to everyone else’s input.” ~ Dr. Garfield Clunie “The take home message is that diversity is important in all realms of our life. In business, medicine, in healthcare. And it’s very important to have different lived experiences come to the table, to create solutions that will be beneficial to tall.” ~ Dr. Garfield Clunie “When it comes to diversity, equity, inclusion, and also belonging, I personally believe that out of all of those belonging is the most important.” ~ Dr. Garfield Clunie “Many medical students comment on the positive value that diversity brings to their experience in education. When you bring all the dimensions of diversity together, all the benefits that these dimensions bring to an organization, and to patients, is seen in better quality of care, better decision making, and better leadership.” ~ Dr. Michelle Leak “Not everyone has the same background or pathway, but they have the same perseverance. A holistic review application (to medical school) takes into account and places value on unique experiences and attributes beyond the standardized tests. But once you have a place, you are still going to have to pass the same exams.” ~ Dr. Garfield Clunie “In maternal and child health, to try and remove bias, we have moved as much as possible towards standardized care. Every patient is an individual, but it’s unfortunate that in medicine we have adopted different thoughts for different races and ethnicities. In New York City we have made a big effort to remove instances where race is used as part of treatment algorithms. I think that using race or ethnicity to determine treatment pathways is absolutely the wrong way to go.” ~ Dr. Garfield Clunie

Episode 137. Following on from a workshop titled “JEDI Journey: This is the Way,” our diverse panel discusses the importance of processes such as integrating the social determinants of health (SDOH) into information systems via Z codes to advance Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) & anti-racism. With episode host Charla Johnson, DNP, and guests Tonya Jagneaux, MD, Holly Pilson, MD, and Daytheon Sturges, PhD. The group also explores achieving workforce diversity in general and orthopedic surgery specifically, which is the least diverse specialty of all. With current trends it will take 217 years to reach parity in terms of race and gender representation, and the group shares strategies for accelerating the pace. We hear how part of the challenge is getting diverse students into schools, but once this is achieved the environment must be set up for success. Otherwise, tokenism can lead to isolation and burnout. With pointers towards actionable steps and resources, this episode takes DEI up a notch. © Copyright Movement is Life 2022-2023 Host: Charla Johnson, DNP, RN-BC, ONC Secretary, Board of Directors, Movement is Life System Director, Nursing Informatics Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System Baton Rouge, LA Featuring: Tonya Jagneaux, MD, MSHI, FCCP Chief Medical Information Officer – OLOL Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Pulmonary/Critical Care, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Baton Rouge Campus Holly Pilson, MD, FAAOS, FAOA Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Trauma, Vice Chair of Social Impact, Co-Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Co-Director of Clinical Research, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, Affiliate Faculty of Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Wake Forest University School of Medicine Daytheon Sturges, PhD, MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA, CHES® Assistant Professor of Family Medicine, Vice Chair for JEDI, Associate Program Director for Regional Affairs and Academic Affairs, JEDI, MEDEX Northwest Physician Assistant Program, University of Washington School of Medicine Physician, University of Washington Primary Care – Northgate Producer/Editor/Writer: Rolf Taylor Resources: USING Z CODES: The Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Data Journey to Better Outcomes: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/zcodes-infographic.pdf Advancing excellence in PA education through leadership, scholarship, equity, and inclusion. DEI Toolkit & Best Practices Guide: https://paeaonline.org/diversity-equity-inclusion Fewer Words, More Action: Cultivating an Anti-Racist Environment Strategies/Solutions (CARES) Framework for Physician Assistant Education. Carl Frizell et al: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34817435/ Excerpts: We need to do a rebranding and a paradigm shift, so that we don’t view diversity as a risk, but we view it as a strength, and we view it as beautiful. I use that term because this is not only hard work it is heart work, and there is some emotional exhaustion that comes with that.” ~ Daytheon Sturges PA-C “It’s voluntary in 2023 then mandatory in 2024 to be screening for social determinants of health for Medicare and Medicaid for reimbursement. So, people really need to understand the importance of this, and it can’t be just another check the box. At Our Lady of the Lake we have a marketing slogan, “we listen, we heal,” – which is perfect alignment with integrating social determinants of health.” ~ Charla Johnson, DNP “Just like we look at things like A1C, I’d like to see Z codes be reviewed routinely so we ask the questions, have we resolved food insecurity, have we resolved homelessness, and we can report on that and close that loop. And I really appreciate a provider wanting to use Z codes.” ~ Tonya Jagneaux, MD “From the vantage point of the good, the bad, and the ugly, the good is that the trend for gender and race diversity is that orthopedic surgery has got better. But the bad is that we remain, year after the year, the least gender, race and ethnically diverse specialty in all of medicine, recruitment efforts alone have not reversed that. To get to parity at the present rate would take 217 years.” ~ Holly Pilson, MD “I liked how you laid it bear that your zip code is more of a social determinant than your genetic code, and speaking of codes, I really like that you introduced the Z codes as well because that introduces a level of accountability. When you document it, you then have to have a plan about it.” ~ Daytheon Sturges PA-C “We had two great talks from Cara McLellan and Frank McLellan, and I am going to start using that term: The power of the purse. Until you incentivize it, it does not become a priority. When people see a target then they see this is the journey we are taking.” Tonya Jagneaux, MD “My part of the session was about workforce diversity, particularly in orthopedic surgery, and what better specialty to talk about in terms of workforce diversity than the one that struggles the mos

People live and work in social communities, where a huge amount of information that drives decision making around health is disseminated person to person by community voices. Our panel of Hispanic health leaders discuss how achieving health equity requires healthcare providers to utilize social influence as a way to improve population health. Dr. Adela Valdez describes the concept of community intersectionality, a framework that allows us to better understand the intersecting social and demographic drivers for our communities in order to better meet their needs. Dr. Ramon Jimenez discusses how learning about the intersectionality concept has enabled him to unpack some of his personal experiences and history to better understand his own journey as a Hispanic orthopedic surgeon. Dr. Ilan Shapiro explores the limitations of speaking “medicalish” and the importance of creating culturally appropriate conversations about health within our communities, using tools and language that make health information accessible to everyone, using social and other media. Dr. De Alba Rosales discusses how achieving health equity will require broader approaches that address social, economic, and environmental factors that influence health. This episode is co-hosted by Claudia Zamora, National Hispanic Medical Association, and Dr. Ramon Jimenez, American Association of Latino Orthopedic Surgeons. All viewpoints are the participants own. Co-hosts Claudia H Zamora, MPA Founder and CEO, Zamora Consulting Group, LLC Board Member, National Hispanic Medical Association Washington, DC Ramon Jimenez, MD, FAAOS Executive Board, Movement is Life Treasurer, Board of Directors, Movement is Life Co-Founder and President, American Association of Latino Orthopaedic Surgeons Salinas, CA Guests Armando De Alba Rosales MD, MPH Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Student Programs College of Medicine, Faculty Member of Family Medicine at UNMC University of Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, Nebraska Adela Valdez, MD, MBA, FAAFP Associate Dean, Diversity, Inclusion and Health Equity Associate Dean of CME at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Professor, Family Medicine University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine Harlingen, Texas Ilan Shapiro MD, MBA, FAAP, FACHE Chief Health Correspondent and Medical Affairs Officer AltaMed Health Services Los Angeles, California © Copyright Movement is Life 2023.

Integrating clinical excellence with health equity at Walgreens, & driving urban innovation at the Lindy Institute. Featuring Dr. Priya Mammen, MD, MPH Emergency room physician and public health leader Dr. Priya Mammen, MD, MPH, still misses her acute care patients, but building on her clinical experiences has enabled her to find ways to advance both urban innovation and health equity. In this interview, recorded at the annual Movement is Life caucus, episode host Dr. Charla Johnson invites Dr. Mammen to talk about her work with the Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation, her role as Senior Medical Director, Office of Clinical Integrity at Walgreens, and as adjunct faculty at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Mammen also discusses some of the themes from her presentation at the caucus, Walgreens: Advancing Health Equity with Community Engagement. Featuring: Dr. Priya Mammen, MD, MPH Senior Medical Director, Office of Clinical Integrity, Walgreens, Emergency Physician, Public Health Specialist, Adjunct Faculty, University of Pennsylvania, Fellow at Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation Hosted by: Dr. Charla Johnson, DNP, RN-BC, ONC Movement is Life Steering Committee, Immediate Past President, National Association of Orthopedic Nurses, System Director, Nursing Informatics Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System Production: Rolf Taylor, Project Advocacy All opinions expressed are the participants own. Copyright © Movement is Life 2023. Selected Excerpts “It is not only my profound responsibility, but it is a deep, deep honor to take forward the stories and the voices of patients that have taught me for my entire career.” “I miss my patients and I miss touching people. There is that tactile component that I did not realize I would miss. Apparently, I am always checking my husband’s pulse!” “The populations who are marginalized and disenfranchised often get missed if you look at the health system as a whole.” “Cities are engines of innovation, a group of people who have chosen or remain in a finite community. We learn how to coexist. Everything we do is intertwined with the rest of the city. Cities can answer their problems if you bring their leaders, their champions, and the voices of all the cities communities together.” “Emergency medicine is the only part of the US health system that is user-triggered, and as Prof. McClellan pointed out, the only truly equitable part of the US health system is EMTALA (The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act). What becomes grueling is to try and help in situations where you need to move people beyond the emergency room.”

“The Race Cards” is an interactive resource kit and activity designed for small groups. Working to end racism so that everyone thrives requires some uncomfortable conversations to be facilitated, because too often discussions about race either stay at the surface level or happen only among audiences steeped in knowledge about sociology, history, systemic racism, and privilege. The Race Cards create a safe space for an honest, authentic discussion in a way that is accessible to everyone. Dr. Kimberly Allen is the inaugural CEO of 904WARD. Her organization evolved the Jacksonville 904 dialing code into a new nonprofit whose mission is to create racial healing and equity through deep conversations and learning, trusting relationships, and collective action. Episode host Sarah Hohman invites Dr. Kimberly Allen and 904 resident Sharon LaSure-Roy to reflect on the practical application of The Race Cards and report on their use in a workshop at the Movement is Life annual caucus. Link to 904WARD resource page: https://904ward.org/racecards/ Copyright © Movement is Life 2023. All opinions expressed are the participants own.

COVID-19 impacted mental health in fundamental ways, forcing isolation and insecurity on individuals, families, and communities. Dr. Reginald Richardson explores ways we can rebuild resilience as we transition from pandemic to endemic, with particular emphasis on social support. Dr. Richardson also discusses how isolation has had a particularly damaging influence on alcohol and drug addiction rates and overdoses, with limited access to emergency mental health services contributing to poor outcomes. Episode host Dr. Yashika Watkins and Dr. Richardson also unpack some of the features of the stages of behavioral change, noting commonalities between the processes of increasing physical activity and reducing alcohol and food consumption, and how these changes can be facilitated through social contact in a group setting, as demonstrated by the Movement is Life program Operation Change. Copyright © Movement is Life 2023. All opinions expressed are the participants own.

Diversity as a goal has been considered a compelling reason (and legal precedent) for higher education institutions to apply policies which attempt to correct the effects of intentional and structural discrimination impacting gender, race, and ethnicity. Our esteemed panel of healthcare stakeholders and health equity advocates share personal experiences of how affirmative action has benefitted them, and the Hispanic and African American healthcare workforces in general. The discussion also explores affirmative action policy milestones, the positive impact these policies have had on overall workforce diversity and STEM education programs, and other knock-on effects such as increasing diverse participation in clinical trials. Featuring Mary O’Connor, MD, Oly, Chair of Movement is Life, Co-Founder & Chief Medical Officer, Vori Health (host); Prof. Frank McLellan, Esq., Professor Emeritus, Beasley School of Law, Temple University; Elena V. Rios, MD, MSPH, MACP, President & CEO, National Hispanic Medical Association; Bonnie Mason Simpson, MD, FAAOS, Medical Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, American College of Surgeons; Ramon L. Jimenez, MD, Board-Certified Orthopedic Surgeon, Treasurer of Movement is Life. Copyright © Movement is Life 2022.

Featuring Cara McClellan, JD, MEd, and Mary I. O’Connor, MD. Addressing the under-representation of racial minorities in the health professions is considered central to reducing overall health disparities and inequalities. Multiple “race-conscious” laws and policies have been introduced that seek to help marginalized communities, ranging from affirmative action to voting rights, reproductive rights, and environmental protections. Legal action now brought before the Supreme Court by conservative activist Edward Blum calling for all higher education admission applications to be effectively “color-blind” could end affirmative action as we know it, with wider ramifications for race-conscious legislation. In this episode of the Health Disparities Podcast, Cara McClellan, JD from the Advocacy for Racial and Civil (ARC) Justice Clinic at the University of Pennsylvania Carey School of Law in Philadelphia unpacks the origins of affirmative action with Dr. Mary O’Connor, Chair of Movement is Life. Together they discuss the foundational impact of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution, the role of the Freedmen’s Bureau, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Higher Education Act of 1965, and current judicial deliberations. Depending on how SCOTUS rules on overturning affirmative action, the long battle to desegregate higher education in the United States could take a backwards step. But are there alternative approaches? Copyright: Movement is Life 2022

Jennifer Truscott is Senior Vice President, Cross-Enterprise Strategic Innovation, with Aetna, whose parent company is CVS. Jennifer shares some of the ways in which CVS is centering and investing in health equity, particularly at the local level, by leveraging the strong engagement that CVS has with many underserved communities. Initiatives discussed include investments in specific “Health Zones,” and also in affordable housing. Jennifer also shares her thoughts on the importance of acting locally, and a great health equity read called Take us to a Better Place, RWJFs first book of fiction. With host Dr. Jonathan Silver, Chief Orthopedic Physician Associate, Department of Orthopedics, Kings County Hospital Center, New York, and President, Academy of Doctoral Physician Associates. Resources and initiatives mentioned in this episode: CVS Healthy 2030 Goals: https://www.cvshealth.com/social-responsibility/corporate-social-responsibility/healthy-2030-goals About CVS Health Zones: https://www.cvshealth.com/social-responsibility/health-zones Take us to a Better Place, RWJFs first book of fiction: https://www.rwjf.org/en/library/research/2019/11/take-us-to-a-better-place-stories-coming-january-2020.html Excerpt: “At CVS we are concerned about the health disparities in our communities. There are disproportionate rates of illness and death and limited cultural competency among providers and resources. We see ongoing and deep-rooted discrimination and racism…it’s those -isms that we just have to uncover and address. And until we have those honest conversations, we are never going to be able to solve them.” ~ Jennifer Truscott, CVS & Aetna Copyright © Movement is Life 2022

We visit San Diego’s Salvation Army Kroc Center for an Operation Change Town Hall welcoming the local Hispanic community. For the first time since lockdown, Operation Change convenes its program in San Diego. There is a joyful and grateful atmosphere, although some participants have sad news to share about loved ones lost to the pandemic. Our interviews reveal how Operation Change is much more than a wellness program, it is a true community intervention. We learn how information shared during the Operation Change sessions ripples out into the wider community through family connections, via participants who are community health workers, and passed on by San Diego’s famous Kitchenistas. Featuring participants from the Operation Change San Diego community, Program Coordinator Sonia Cervantes, Dr. Ramon Jimenez, and Prof. Christina Jimenez. Produced and narrated by Rolf Taylor.

In Part 2 of our Caucus Workshops Preview, Dr. Millicent Gorham, Dr. Mary O’Connor and podcast host Rolf Taylor discuss the “Movement” workshop series from the Movement is Life Caucus which convenes on November 10-11, 2022. Workshop 5: Social Influences of Health – Opening Doors, Opening Minds, impacting lives, Strategies to Improve Well Being. Workshop 6: Shared Decision Making - Beyond the Hype. Workshop 7: Move Your Mind, Move Your Body. Workshop 8: Engaging the Body and Brain Through an African Drumming & Dance Experience. Caucus & Registration information: www.movementislifecaucus.com

In Part 1 of our Caucus Workshops Preview, Dr. Millicent Gorham, Dr. Mary O’Connor and podcast host Rolf Taylor discuss the “Activism” workshop series from the Movement is Life Caucus which convenes on November 10-11, 2022. Workshop 1: Is Health Equity the New Startup? Workshop 2: Playing the Race Cards, Conversations on Racial Healing and Equity. Workshop 3: The Art of Storytelling – Changing the World One story at a time. Workshop 4: The JEDI Journey – This is the way. To learn about our 4 “Movement” workshops, tune in to part 2 of this discussion which is episode 127. Caucus & Registration information: www.movementislifecaucus.com

It’s been over two years since COVID-19 put everyone’s plans on hold. Community wellness programs such as Operation Change had to be paused, and everyone did their best to stay healthy in their homes during lockdown. This Town Hall at the South Side YMCA in Chicago is a welcome return to community gatherings, and an opportunity for past participants of Operation Change to reconnect, and also introduce new people to the program. Join us as we ask attendees why Operation Change has meant so much to them, and why Operation Change is such an important and effective community intervention. Featuring participants from the Operation Change Chicago community, and with Town Hall speakers Dr. Carla Harwell and Rev. Dr. Evelyn Dixon.

The Movement is Life Annual Caucus is a major event on the health equity conference calendar. With the theme of “Health Equity Beyond the Headlines,” this year’s meeting convenes an outstanding group of leaders who are defining and implementing real solutions to health inequities. Join Caucus Chair Dr. Mary O’Connor and Movement is Life’s inaugural Executive Director Dr. Millicent Gorham for a preview of the plenary sessions and a discussion about the future mission and direction of Movement is Life, which is now an independent nonprofit organization. For further information visit: www.movementislifecaucus.com/2022-caucus/

Neal Neuberger has spent the past 35 years in Washington as a recognized leader for healthcare and information technology policy and strategy. In this episode, he will discuss telemedicine and the effect it can have on health disparity in rural areas. With host Bill Finerfrock.

Medical notes capture information that informs decision making. They can also reveal how healthcare providers are judging their patients, and patients reading those notes can feel offended, shamed and stigmatized by what they read. Drawing from her work as a Latina primary care clinician and health equity advocate, and as a Harvard Professor, Dr. Fernández highlights the importance of language and culture in medicine and in our medical notes. In this episode,we explore how language and literacy shape our ability to offer equitable, meaningful, and respectful care to Latinx, Black and other marginalized populations.

We often hear about the role of microaggressions, macroaggressions, and atomic aggressions during discussions about health equity. Often driven by unconscious bias, microaggressions are intrinsic to the processes of marginalization, racism and sexism that impact both patients and providers during the complex interactions that occur every day in the healthcare setting. How do we go about reducing and eliminating these types of harmful behaviors and transgressions? Can raising awareness at the grassroots level and then legal remedies at the policy level work in tandem to change behavior and provide protection? Today's episode explores these questions from a variety of perspectives, touching on the importance of fostering an inclusive culture for diverse students heading towards healthcare professions, and how this will also benefit patients.

Dr. Mary O’Connor invites fellow surgeon and singing sensation Dr. Elvis Francois to share his story. Dr. Elvis found fame on "The Masked Singer" after recording and posting inspirational performances accompanied by fellow physician Dr. William Robinson. In this episode, Dr. Elvis talks about the importance of integrating humanity into medicine, and how the emotional connections created through our shared love of music inspire resilience and healing.

Baton Rouge has created a culture of health through its public private partnerships. Using many creative approaches, Baton Rouge seeks to blend cooperation, competition, and personal responsibility, with civic leadership, health equity and community resources. Featuring Baton Rouge Mayor Sharon Weston Broome, Coletta Barrett from the Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, and NAON President Dr. Charla Johnson.

Google and YouTube have done a pretty good job of organizing the internet in a way that makes it quick and easy to find that one thing or website we need out of literally billions of options - including health information. In this episode, Dr. Graham and Dr. Gorham explore the theme of meeting people where they are, particularly where that place is an individual’s phone, and the individual is sharing their front of mind concerns about health with either a Google search or searching YouTube via their mobile phone. Dr Graham believes we are entering a new era of health information, a journey that all of us are already on. The key challenge is to make science central to that journey, so that even if we are receiving health information via social media, it is both factual and helpful.