Dr. Stephen Klasko hosts two of the nation's leaders in addressing equity in healthcare, Dr. Toyin Ajayi of CityBlock and Ken Frazier of Merck and General Catalyst. As this trio looks at the future, they outline the absolute need to address disparities and gaps that must be solved, with the help of technology and commitment. And they swap great songs as they re-imagine health assurance in 2032. This episode is sponsored by General Catalyst.
Summary
Addressing Equity in Healthcare: A Look at the Future
Introduction
Dr. Stephen Klasko hosts two of the nation's leaders in addressing equity in healthcare, Dr. Toyin Ajayi of CityBlock and Ken Frazier of Merck and General Catalyst. As this trio looks at the future, they outline the absolute need to address disparities and gaps that must be solved, with the help of technology and commitment. And they swap great songs as they re-imagine health assurance in 2032. This episode is sponsored by General Catalyst.
The Discussion
In this episode, we discussed what healthcare may look like in 2032, and how we can move towards better health equity and outcomes. We were joined by Dr. Steven Klasko, Kenneth Frazier, and Toya Naja, who each shared their perspectives on the current state of healthcare and what it will take to make meaningful change. The main takeaway was that incremental change is not enough and that radical transformation is needed in terms of how we pay for healthcare, how we care for people, and where we focus our attention.
The Future of Healthcare
In 2032, City Block will be serving populations in all 50 states, making it the first ubiquitous, trusted household brand for healthcare, particularly for lower-income populations. Kenneth Frazier's career transition from civil rights lawyer to CEO of Merck was driven by his desire to make a humanitarian difference. To make a true impact on healthcare inequities, we must tackle systemic and structural issues, not just focus on individual patients. Digital transformation has largely served to make the wealthy healthier, so collaboration between health policy makers, healthcare leaders and digital entrepreneurs is needed to truly transform the system. An example of this collaboration is how Merck worked with physicians, public health experts, and trusted voices in communities to ensure access to vaccines and therapeutics during the Covid 19 pandemic.
Focusing on Patients
Covid-19 had a large impact on the African American community due to underlying conditions such as poor nutrition and poor access to healthcare. In order to create an effective healthcare system, it is necessary for all entities involved to collaborate and focus on the needs of the patient rather than the hospital's needs. In order to create physicians of the future, it is important to consider the cost of medical school and where potential applicants are recruited from, in addition to considering how to retain and support students of color in residencies.
The Importance of Diversity
People who don't come from a background in healthcare, first-generation college graduates and medical students, and people of color are often passionate, mission-driven, and tenacious when it comes to pursuing medicine. We need to focus more on the systems around these students that can create an environment of diversity in medical education. In order to choose medical professionals, we should focus more on their values and less on their aptitude and preparedness for medical training. Ken believes that two songs, Imagine by John Lennon and I Can See Clearly Now by Johnny Nash, represent the world we need to strive for where everyone is cared for, treated with respect, and has the same opportunities regardless of skin color. Toya believes Break My Soul by Beyonce is a cry for dignity and represents the revolution of people demanding different and more.
Conclusion
This episode of the General Catalyst Health Assurance Podcast concluded with a discussion between Steve Klasko, Toan Nguyen, and Ken Yim about courage to change and values in their respective careers. They discussed how people can look back at this podcast in 2032 and see that a lot of the things they predicted would happen did indeed happen, hopefully much earlier than 2032. The episode ended with an invitation to join the next episode, which will feature conversations with Holly Maloney, managing partner for General Catalyst, and Mark Frank, CEO and co-founder of Saunder Mine, a company innovating in mental health.
Note: This is an AI generated transcript, not edited by a staff writer and is solely intended for educational purposes. If you have any questions/concerns, reach out to podcasts@beckershealthcare.com
This episode aired on 09/15/2022 and can be listened here.
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