Under the visionary leadership of Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera, the state of Colorado hopes to connect 99% of households to high-speed internet by 2027. This is just one of the initiatives in a larger plan to lead by example in establishing sustainable practices for addressing health care inequity. As Lt. Governor Primavera moves into her second term, she is prioritizing more equitable legislation surrounding housing, healthcare and education.

As the Covid-19 pandemic brought to light, many households have been negatively impacted by increasingly expensive healthcare and lack of access to digital services. In order to prevent financial toxicity, a scenario in which individuals are bankrupted by medical bills, Primavera and a team of dedicated professionals have established several innovative programs. One such program is the In Full Health Initiative, which provides resources and opportunities for organizations to connect, educate, and develop solutions to problems plaguing the healthcare system. Learning from each other in a community where many diverse voices are represented is the best way to advance equitable health innovations.

Director of the Office of eHealth Innovation Stephanie Pugliese also joins the conversation. The goals of the eHealth Commission are to make information more accessible through coordinated health systems and expanding the inclusivity of health solutions. One of the first steps for achieving equity is through data collection. Colorado recently passed a bill which requires the Health Department to gather demographic data. This information helps establish a collective picture of the challenges people continue to face in receiving access to quality healthcare and health education services across the state. Working together to address growing needs in ever-changing times makes Colorado a national model for prioritizing equal access to a universal human right.

Main Topics

• Lt. Governor’s priorities and goals for her second term (01:45)
• Ground-breaking Medical-Financial Partnership Program (04:13)
• Legislation to support equitable health care for people in Colorado (06:45)
• Stephanie shares updates on efforts to increase health equity (09:35)
• Colorado’s In Full Health Initiative (13:30)
• Priorities for Office of eHealth Innovation (15:30)
• How to bring health goals into reality (17:35)
• Policies that will help determine where to focus health equity efforts (19:35)

Episode Links

• oehi.colorado.gov

Connect with Lt. Governor Primavera:

https://ltgovernor.colorado.gov

https://twitter.com/LtGovofCO

https://www.instagram.com/ltgovofco

https://www.facebook.com/LtGovofCO/

Connect with KP:

linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/

https://twitter.com/inonhealth

inonhealth.com/podcast

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In part two of this two-part episode, KP continues to share his personal story about his diagnosis of early-stage, moderately aggressive prostate cancer. As a young black male with no known prior history, he was significantly under the age to be screened for this condition. But he got screened early, and is thankfully cancer free after treatment from great physicians.

In this conversation, KP is joined by Ahmad Garrett-Price MD, a board certified family physician and the founder of GP Health. As a top family physician, Ahmad brings the clinical view as well as the context surrounding this issue. The two discuss KP’s cancer journey, Ahmad’s clinical expertise and experience, and the importance of examining the context surrounding men’s health in the Black community.

Main Topics

• Receiving the diagnosis, beginning the treatment journey, and navigating both a professional and a personal life (1:34)
• Understanding options for treatment, the Gleason Score, and how KP made the choice to take an aggressive treatment plan (9:40)
• How surgical treatment options can present roadblocks especially for communities of color (16:25)
• How lack of information and education prevents early detection and treatment (24:05)
• KP’s journey to choosing a radical prostectomy via a robotic procedure and the key differences between open and robotic procedure (28:34)
• KP’s pivot from indecision over treatment to moving forward in making a decision to treat as soon as possible— and the importance understanding the risks and potential outcomes of any procedure (35:27)
• KP’s relationship with his “cancer buddy” and how he was armed with information that removed anxiety from the treatment and recovery process (39:40)
• The preparation, procedure and recovery journey, and the challenges of navigating the process as an entrepreneur, a father and a husband (42:35)
• Preparing for life after the procedure and the importance focusing on mental and physical wellness (51:30)
• The importance of getting screened early (1:00:00)

Show Resources:

https://www.pcf.org/about-prostate-cancer/diagnosis-staging-prostate-cancer/gleason-score-isup-grade/

Connect with Ahmad:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmad-garrett-price-md-3438b0148/

Connect with KP:

linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/

https://twitter.com/inonhealth

inonhealth.com/podcast

inonhealth.com/

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In part one of this two-part episode, KP shares his personal story about his diagnosis of early-stage, moderately aggressive prostate cancer. As a young black male with no known prior history, he was significantly under the age to be screened for this condition. But he got screened early, and is thankfully cancer free after treatment from great physicians.

But this journey has led him to unpacking the topic of cancer, and specifically prostate cancer, among the Black male population.

In this conversation, KP is joined by Ahmad Garrett-Price MD, a board certified family physician and the founder of GP Health. As a top family physician, Ahmad brings the clinical view as well as the context surrounding this issue. The two discuss KP’s cancer journey, Ahmad’s clinical expertise and experience, and the importance of examining the context surrounding men’s health in the Black community.

Main Topics

• Ahmad’s journey to his medical career and his family’s background in healthcare and community leadership (4:00)
• Ahmad’s time working as a senior physician at Kaiser Permanente in Northern California and the founding of GP Health, a proactive and preventative health service. GP Health examines the economic constructs, genetic predisposition and lifestyles of its patients, which helps them understand the full context of their health conditions (14:00)
• Issues surrounding men’s health among the Black community, including cancer and specifically prostate cancer and why it impacts them earlier in life (20:54)
• KP’s cancer screening experience and how his family history and role in public health led to get screening earlier than traditionally recommended (27:59)
• The cost effectiveness issues of false positives in prostate cancer tests and how it leads to an older screening age among men (35:47)
• What makes Black men more prone to prostate cancer and other outside factors, including diet, socioeconomic factors and access to health care (41:34)

Connect with Ahmad:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmad-garrett-price-md-3438b0148/

Connect with KP:

linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/

https://twitter.com/inonhealth

inonhealth.com/podcast

inonhealth.com/

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As we near the end of season 2 of the InOn Health podcast, KP looks back on some of his favorite episodes from season 1 of the show.

KP’s Top 5 Episodes:

• Episode 4: Integrating Emotional Support in the Maternal Health Journey with Simmone Taitt
• Episode 5: Paving the Way in Digital Health Innovation with Troy Bannister
• Episode 6: Creating Inclusive Digital Health Innovations and Re-Defining Acute Care with Dr. Monique Smith
• Episode 3: Building and Sustaining a Healthy Colorado for All with Dianne Primavera, Colorado Lieutenant Governor
• Episode 13: Cultural Humility Improves Mental Healthcare for Diverse Populations with Dr. Brandi Jackson and Kevin Dedner

Connect with KP:

linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/

https://twitter.com/inonhealth

inonhealth.com/podcast

inonhealth.com/

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Joy Lewis—senior vice president of health equity strategies at the American Hospital Association—joins KP in this episode of the InOn Health podcast. They discuss the impact of hospitals in reducing health disparities for various populations in the United States.

Joy reveals the vision of the American Hospital Association, which focuses on achieving a society of healthy communities with individuals reaching their highest potential for health, where everyone receives the necessary support to live the healthiest life possible. She provides insights into how (modifiable) societal factors influence health outcomes and conditions. She describes the advancement of health equity demonstrated as:

"We will know we've achieved health equity when the quality of care that’s rendered does not vary based on characteristics like race, ethnicity, gender, geographic and socioeconomic status.”

Joy explains advancing health equity involves removing structural barriers—dismantling the existing structure requires implementing more just action, such as creating a moral case of listening to patients as the first step. She explains how hospitals are the most influential institutions in the communities they serve. She further elaborates how the health/medical industry should pivot towards a more inclusive community partnership, involving co-designing and co-developing health equity solutions, ultimately creating sustainable solutions.

Joy discusses the path to advancing equity and eliminating disparities requires the ongoing development of products, information, and resources. She outlines the evolvement in data-gathering—traditionally focused on race, ethnicity, and language—now pivoting to include sexual orientation, gender identity, and social needs. She elaborates how this data—including other factors like housing conditions, food insecurity, and transportations needs—impacts people's abilities to engage in their health. Collecting this data would serve as a guide to provide the proper clinical support while eliminating biases to ensure it does not negatively impact patients.

Connect with Joy Lewis:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joyalewis/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-hospital-association/

https://twitter.com/joylewisMPH

https://twitter.com/IFD_AHA

Connect with KP:

linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/

https://twitter.com/inonhealth

inonhealth.com/podcast

inonhealth.com/

Dr. Brittani James, family physician and Co-Founder of The Institute for Antiracism in Medicine, joins KP in the ongoing discussion addressing health equity. Dr. James begins the conversation by sharing her upbringing, witnessing segregated systems in and outside the healthcare system. She reveals how the Covid-19 pandemic spotlighted the racial disparities in the healthcare systems and the mental health impact on the Black community.

While attending medical school at the University of Michigan, Dr. James reflects learning how black individuals are more inclined to experience health issues, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, but never taught the explanation of why. She further explains how race is often regarded as a biologically distinct entity, which has led to false conclusions that people of color are biologically different. This fundamental flaw inaccurately suggests and justifies the concept that people of color are “inferior” to other races on a biological and genetic level. Dr. James discusses how this misconception is evident in research studies, especially in medical journals, which are primary sources of information in medicine. She provides insights into the harmful effects of the lack of editorial neutrality in medical journals, such as the Journal of the American Medical Association, blocking scholarship of racism and findings in research.

The Institute of Antiracism in Medicine is designed to train clinicians to recognize implicit biases by providing tools to serve as advocates for their patients, understanding how to engage in the topic of racism, and ultimately eliminating racism from the healthcare system. Dr. James explains confronting racism and implementing change requires a clear understanding of its foundation. The first steps to creating change involve identifying your influence and recognizing relationships in your life.

Connect with Dr. Brittani James:

www.drbrittanijames.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbrittanij/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-institute-for-antiracism-in-medicine/

Connect with KP:

linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/

inonhealth.com/podcast

inonhealth.com/

André Blackman is a strategist, eco-system builder and entrepreneur, working in public health and social innovation. Founder and CEO of Onboard Health, specialized executive search and advisory firm focused on creating a more inclusive healthcare industry.

In this episode we discuss his personal journey and career, his views of DEI, and what is required to sustain efforts to build a more equitable health system in the United States.

Main Topics

• André’s journey to a career in public health science and community impact and his desire to work toward systemic change and not project-based DEI work (2:59)
• André’s early career in strategic communications and digital PR and his work on various federal health projects with the CDC (10:21)
• Intersectionality of race and culture as a child of immigrants and how George Floyd and the BLM movement led to Onboard Health (12:57)
• The origin story of Onboard Health and what the workforce needs to build a more sustainable and equitable future of health (20:47)
• Onboard’s work as a specialized executive search and talent and culture advisory firm for companies who embrace equitable practices (22:27)
• How companies are trying to address DEI and some of the best practices of those companies trying to do this sustainably (26:03)
• The key differences between health equity and DEI and the importance of proper definitions (31:20)
• The skills, values, leadership approach needed in making a difference in healthcare system and bringing that to our BIPOC and diverse populations (36:02)

Episode Links

• Katie Couric’s Stand Up to Cancer Foundation: https://standuptocancer.org
• Fortune 40 under 40: https://fortune.com/40-under-40/2020/andre-blackman/

Connect with André:

https://www.onboardhealth.co

https://twitter.com/mindofandre

https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreblackman/

Connect with KP:

linkedin.com/in/kaakpema-kp-yelpaala-379b269/

https://twitter.com/inonhealth

inonhealth.com/podcast

inonhealth.com/

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