Is accessible healthcare a mythical unicorn, or is it something we can work together to attain in the foreseeable future?

Believe it or not, Walmart is at the forefront of the mission to make it possible, and their EVP of Health & Wellness, Dr. Cheryl Pegus, sheds some light on this.

In this episode of A Healthier Future, Cheryl explains why the notion of providing accessible healthcare is dear to her heart and how Walmart’s mission aligns with that.

On the surface, Walmart is an American retail corporation mainly comprising a chain of hypermarkets, discount department stores, and grocery stores. However, it’s an incredibly health-centric organization with a mission to serve the numerous communities in which it resides.

Cheryl also explains why it’ll take a collective effort to make healthcare services more accessible. She explains the different ways organizations can serve as doorways to the basic care needed in the communities they serve.

Cheryl talks about the importance of asking for help and working together, regardless of the goal. In her words, “this is the biggest key for whatever success I've ever achieved.”

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• Cheryl’s vision when she first went to medical school
• How access to medical care affected her decision to become a doctor
• How race affects access to medical care
• Walmart’s community-focused mission
• How Cheryl’s path led to her working at Walmart
• Why it’s vital to work together as a medical community
• Cheryl’s vision of a transformed health system
• Walmart’s role in encouraging good health
• Cheryl shares the inspiration behind her cookbooks
• Why Cheryl advises people not to shy away from asking for help

Key Links:

• Walmart: https://corporate.walmart.com/
• Intermountain Healthcare: https://intermountainhealthcare.org/

What will the future of healthcare look like? While we don’t have a crystal ball, ZS is trying to predict and prepare for the health issues of the future.

ZS is a professional services firm that helps companies develop and deliver products that drive results, but its main area of focus is the healthcare industry. ZS uses data and innovation to help improve healthcare technology now and in the future.

CEO Pratap Khedkar joins A Healthier Future to shed some light on ZS’s work, why he first became interested in healthcare, and his thoughts on AI as a tool for good. Pratap shares how he thinks healthcare can be improved by looking at individuals, not averages, and how that can help tackle the issue of health inequity.

Tune in to the full episode to hear more about data, AI, health equity, and why ZS is on a mission to “transform global healthcare.”

Listen to learn:

• What ZS does in the healthcare space
• How AI can help the future of healthcare
• How Pratap first became interested in healthcare
• Why Pratap wanted to create a new vision for ZS
• Pratap’s thoughts on health equity and the problem with averages
• How AI could help healthcare facilities in third-world countries
• Why Pratap recommends always “being restless” and looking for new projects

Key Links

• ZS
• Intermountain Healthcare

What does health equity mean to you?

For Dr. Steve Neeleman, Founder of HealthEquity, it’s a way to bring healthcare to all those who need it, not just those who can afford it.

Inspired by his own family’s health concerns and insurance quibbles, Steve created a company that bridges the gap left by insurance. While insurance can cover the bigger medical expenses, HealthEquity helps with the smaller issues that insurance doesn’t always cover. By helping people save for future health issues, HealthEquity helps people avoid tricky financial situations.

Steve joins this episode of A Healthier Future to give us a window into his background, his family life, and what led him to start HealthEquity. We hear his thoughts on doing good as an entrepreneur and how he’s helping Intermountain Healthcare with its Primary Promise fundraising efforts.

Listen to learn:

• How Steve’s upbringing inspired him to become a doctor
• What led him to start HealthEquity
• Why diversity is so important
• How social-economic status affects people’s ability to get the right healthcare
• What our Primary Promise program aims to do to help children in need
• Why entrepreneurism is a chance to do good

Key Links

HealthEquity: https://healthequity.com/

Primary Promise: https://intermountainhealthcare.org/primary-childrens/about/primary-promise/

Intermountain Healthcare: https://intermountainhealthcare.org/