In 2022, many health solution developers made great strides toward better supporting historically marginalized communities and improving health outcomes.
With the new year approaching, many people may be thinking about their new year’s resolutions. The new year brings new opportunities, both in our personal lives, and our professional lives.
This year, we encourage more leaders to intentionally center equity in health innovation, focusing on actionable steps and measurable impact.
New Year’s Resolutions for Health Solution Innovators
As we strive to make health care more equitable, we spoke with eight health solution developers to hear about what resolutions they suggest health solution developers and investors make in 2023.
Alexis Anderson
Principal, Ipsos Healthcare Advisory
“Achieving techquity in the healthcare industry will require some self-reflection and internal transformation. While external partnerships and initiatives are fantastic — we can’t forget that internal component. I think equity can only truly be achieved when organizations are equipped to tap into a diverse set of views and experiences and when they innovate in partnership with teams that reflect and understand the needs of the populations they serve.”
Ivelyse Andino
Founder and CEO, Radical Health
“I say this all the time: As a leader, the more that you rise in rank or rise in your positioning, the further away you are from the problem you’re trying to solve. Get connected. Make sure that the folks who you are connecting with are also compensated.”
Joy Cooper, MD
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Culture Care
“Make space for diverse innovators who reflect the communities who need health care access the most.”
Lisa Fitzpatrick, MD, MPH, MPA
Founder and CEO, Grapevine Health
“Listen. We have to listen to the people we serve and incorporate their perspectives and ideas into everything we do, every program we design, and every policy we implement. We have to listen and integrate the voices of the people we serve.”
Chris Gibbons, MD, MPH
Founder and CEO, The Greystone Group | Member, AMA External Equity & Innovation Advisory Group
“No innovation for us without us! Begin to center equity in health innovation by committing to greater, iterative involvement of target users from underserved and marginalized populations in all phases of solution design and development.”
Sandee Kastrul
Founder and President, i.c. stars
“Meet people where they are. In our life, we are going to have to wait. As a doctor, the script is often, ‘You wait for me because I’m the most important person.’ But what if we flipped it, and the people were the most important, and we met them where they are? Whether they’re waiting at the gym, the grocery store, or in your office, let’s prioritize the information we have and ways we can connect with them in the wait.”
Jerrica Kirkley, MD
Chief Medical Officer and Co-Founder of Plume
“Build health care teams with people who share the lived experience of their patients and supportive allies, at all levels of the organization, and track demographic, clinical outcomes, and social determinants of health data from historically underserved communities to inform clinical care and policy change.”
Matthew McCurdy
Co-Founder and President, BLKHLTH
“We should all be making better efforts this upcoming year — and every year — to talk to people who have different experiences than ourselves and who reflect the experiences of whatever end user will be using the health solution we’re developing. We have a tendency to build in a bubble and by getting more information and talking to more people we can actually build solutions that people want and need.”
Kistein Monkhouse
Founder and CEO, Patient Orator
“Remember: Patients are people. When you look to your community, look to those who have battled chronic illnesses. Those people have basically gone through a hell of a journey. Start by looking right within your immediate environment, and then talk to people that are providing care for the communities that you’re seeking to serve.”
Shantanu Nundy, MD, MBA
Chief Medical Officer, Accolade
“Hire leaders with bonafide expertise in health equity, through lived experience, formal training — or ideally both.”
Kaakpema (KP) Yelpaala, MPH
Co-founder and CEO of InOn Health
“There is an endless amount of work to be done when it comes to addressing health inequities. It’s going to require people to think outside the box in terms of business models. Traditional venture-backable business models typically want a rinse-and-repeat model. To build and to engage diverse populations, you can’t just rinse and repeat your whole model. It’s about how you personalize your solution. And that’s the stretch challenge as we work to create a more equitable health care system — we need to think about meeting people where they are yet building solutions that are scalable.”
Happy New Year From In Full Health
The new year is a time of growth. Resolutions being made by solution developers, investors, and purchasers across the country have the potential to improve health outcomes for historically marginalized communities. It’s a time to be intentional with words, realistic with goals, and committed to action.
The In Full Health Initiative is honored to have had the opportunity to work with so many champions of equity this year, and we look forward to the incredible change we can make together in 2023.
SUBSCRIBE
Stay in the loop about new blog posts from equitable health innovation leaders, helpful resources and tools to help you bring the Principles to life, upcoming events, and more by joining our email list.
SUBSCRIBE
Comments are closed.