Heart of Equity: Recent Episodes
NAHSE Heartland
The National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE) Heartland Chapter brings you Heart of Equity, a podcast that equips health care professionals to turn health equity efforts for Black Americans into sustainable solutions rather than check-the-box tactics.
In the final episode of the season, host Pleasant Radford is joined by Kadesha Thomas Smith, CEO of CareContent, to discuss this season of Heart of Equity and the state of health equity today. We revisit episodes that discuss everything from hiring Black talent to using Black health care providers in your family to who plays a role in advancing health equity.
Health equity teams can be elevated to high visibility positions in the C-Suite or stuck in the basement and only consulted when something goes wrong.
In this episode, we're talking to Renee Hardman, Chief Diversity Equity Inclusion Officer & Vice President of Human Resources at Broadlawns Medical Center, on how health systems should best position their DEI teams to meet their goals.
Health equity has become a focus among healthcare organizations. But due to cost-saving solutions, some of these efforts are being scaled back.
In this episode, host Pleasant Radford is joined by James Burroughs, Senior Vice President of Government and Community Relations and Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer at Children's Minnesota, to discuss how health care organizations should be improving their health equity efforts.
Employee resource groups (or ERGs) are becoming more popular in healthcare organizations. Some are effective, some ... not so much. If you've been tapped to participate in an ERG, you want to make it worth your time.
In this episode, we’re talking to Janis Yergan, VP of Network Development at Children's Hospital & Medical Center in Omaha, on how to do that.
Respectability politics are when marginalized groups are expected to adhere to appearance or behavior expectations set by the majority, one example being expectations around Black hair at work.
In this episode, we're talking to Ashlei Spivey — who is a social entrepreneur, philanthropist, and ecosystem builder — about the dangers of respectability politics and what employees and companies can do about them.
When it comes to building your own health startup or company, the fear of failure can be a heavy weight to carry — and this is especially true for Black health care leaders and entrepreneurs.
To talk about failure and its potential impact on a company's success, CEO and co-founder of home accessibility company, Rose, Cameron Carter joins the podcast to share his own experiences and advice.
There is no lack of skilled Black professionals in the talent pool, yet some companies say there simply aren't enough people to hire to meet their DEI goals. In this episode, Director of Client Engagement at kp companies Joelle Allen joins the Heart of Equity podcast to break down why this myth persists — and how good companies are recruiting and retaining top Black talent in spite of it.
In this episode, Alexis Yeboah, Program Manager at Best Buy Health, joins us in discussing the strong Black woman archetype, the stigma of mental health therapy, and the pathways toward achieving optimal mental health.
Listen to hear Alexis' insights on how Black women can prioritize their mental health and who plays a role in supporting them.
The history of reproductive medicine in the U.S. is built on the pain and suffering of enslaved Black women — and maternal health disparities continue today.
In this episode, InovCares founder Mohamed Kamara shares how culturally respectful maternity care and digital health can be leveraged to address this history and improve health outcomes for Black women and mothers.
With over 50 years in the healthcare industry, John Bluford III, MBA, FACHE shares what he has learned, what has changed, and what he hopes to see. As the President and founder of the Bluford Healthcare Leadership Institute, John Bluford discusses what it means to be a rising leader in healthcare and how he hopes to lift up today's scholars and advance health equity.
Is it impossible to align corporate, civic, and philanthropic interests to make grantmaking in healthcare more equitable? Olivia Jefferson, Vice President of Social Responsibility & Head of UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation, thinks so. This discussion focuses on merging three disparate communities and their interests while showing how healthcare professionals can apply a health and racial equity lens to fund, develop, and evaluate health initiatives.
Is it impossible to align corporate, civic, and philanthropic interests to make grantmaking in healthcare more equitable? Olivia Jefferson, Vice President of Social Responsibility & Head of UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation thinks so. This discussion focuses on merging three disparate communities and their interests while showing how healthcare professionals can apply a health and racial equity lens to fund, develop, and evaluate health initiatives.
We continue our discussion with licensed social worker and nonprofit co-founder of the Wellspring Second Chance Center, Deseria Galloway. She talks about how the murder of George Floyd impacted the social work efforts that were already in progress, and how social services fit into the larger healthcare landscape.
We hear from licensed social worker and nonprofit co-founder of the Wellspring Second Chance Center, Deseria Galloway. She discusses the history and current realities of Black social work — as well as Black Lives Matter and the role Black social workers are taking.
Dr. Anthony Coleman, DhA, serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Iowa's Broadlawns Medical Center, a nonprofit healthcare organization that works to provide quality and cost-effective healthcare. In this episode, we chat with Dr. Coleman about how his 16-year naval experience informs his leadership, what it's like for him as a Black man in the healthcare industry, and how healthcare professionals might rise to meet the challenge of health inequity in Iowa.
Too many Black professionals see opportunities and unmet needs in the healthcare space, but they’re anxious about leaving steady paychecks and benefits to go for an entrepreneurial endeavor, whether as a consultant or a business owner. André Blackman, CEO and founder of Onboard Health, sits down to discuss whether or not health equity can be better addressed through the entrepreneurial route.
The term John Henryism was coined in the 1970s by epidemiologist Sherman Hames. It refers to the way Black executives work to the point of sacrificing mental and physical health to convey their professional value.
In this episode, we're speaking with Lisa Mallory, PhD, Executive Director at NAHSE and CEO of LMM & Associates, LLC. Dr. Mallory shares her insights on this phenomenon to help listeners self-reflect on whether they are living examples of John Henryism and how to overcome it.
Health equity means that everyone has the chance and support they need to access health services and live a healthy life. But even with the best health interventions, optimal health can’t be achieved when someone is living in a community filled with violence, brutality, and fear.
Jazz Hampton — CEO, General Counsel, and one of the founders of TurnSignl — discusses how police brutality is connected to health equity, and how technology solutions can address it.
Our conversation continues with Dr. Ronald Wyatt, Vice President and Patient Safety Officer, MCIC Vermont, LLC. He shares both instruction and therapy on how to navigate being a DEI officer and avoid the glass cliff — and another space he calls "the Black bluff."
Everyone in healthcare rushed to hire a DEI leader in the last three years, but what really makes this officer successful — or not? When Black professionals are hired to leadership in times of crisis or recession, they may have been set up for failure.
So, how can we avoid this "glass cliff?" Dr. Ronald Wyatt, Vice President and Patient Safety Officer, MCIC Vermont, LLC, shares his thoughts.
Being a power couple looks fun, but it takes a lot of work, balance, and planning. The divorce rate among Black Americans is higher than for other ethnicities. That means that Black professionals need to be selective about juggling work and family. Here’s a discussion about signs it’s not you, it’s the job — and when it’s time to make a choice.
Dr. Vabren Watts, Director of Health Equity at Health Affairs, rejoins us for another sit-down as we talk about the lack of Black men working as healthcare executives.
Dr. Watts is an expert in health equity and has penned hundreds of articles about the latest advancements in medicine in several health news publications. In his current role at Health Affairs, he works to dismantle practices that perpetuate racial bias in scholarly publishing of health policy and health services research. Previously, he served as Deputy Director of Diversity and Health Equity of the American Psychiatric Association.
Our latest guest is Vabren Watts, PhD, Director of Health Equity at Health Affairs. Dr. Watts is an expert in health equity and has penned hundreds of articles about the latest advancements in medicine in several health news publications. In his current role at Health Affairs, he works to dismantle practices that perpetuate racial bias in scholarly publishing of health policy and health services research. Previously, he served as Deputy Director of Diversity and Health Equity of the American Psychiatric Association.
He joins us to discuss his insights on health equity research and what it could look like moving forward.
In Part 2 of our powerful conversation with St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, we discuss St. Paul's relationship with healthcare providers in the aftermath of George Floyd's death, and he shares what he's doing to support the well-being of residents as they deal with a housing shortage.
The city's first-ever Black mayor also highlights some of the work he's doing with Black healthcare professionals and how he hopes to grow that partnership moving forward.
Mayor Melvin Carter was elected as St. Paul's first-ever Black mayor in 2017. In his first four years in office, Mayor Carter has worked to pass progressive economic policies like a $15 minimum wage. However, concerns about housing security and public safety are among the chief priorities for his second term.
In Part 1 of our conversation with Mayor Carter, we discuss the lessons he's learned in two years since the tragic death of George Floyd, how he plans on growing the city's partnership with Black healthcare professionals, and what true health equity looks like in St. Paul.
Heart of Equity host Pleasant Radford, Jr. talks with NAHSE Heartland Chapter President Anthony Ashby about the organization's history and mission, and what listeners can expect from the show.