Understanding health equity starts locally
Why does the U.S. have such disparities in health outcomes across different patient populations? It’s a question that has come up with increasing frequency in the wake of COVID-19 and larger conversations around racial equality in the U.S.
On this episode of The Handoff, Dan and a special co-host speak with Shawna Butler, a Nurse Economist and the host of Johnson & Johnson’s See You Now podcast about what health equity means to her and her advice for nurses who want to ensure more equitable outcomes for their patients.
Shawna believes that health is inherently local and that by focusing so much on global comparisons, we’re missing an important part of the story. She encourages us to look at our cities and towns to understand the root of the problem and start to find solutions.
Dan also speaks with Shawna about everything from how the U.S. healthcare system stacks up against other countries and the number one thing she would change (hint: it’s probably not what you think!) to school re-openings and even her takeaways from multiple encounters with late Congressman John Lewis.
Links to recommended reading:
https://nursing.jnj.com/see-you-now-podcast
https://exponential.singularityu.org/medicine/
https://www.trustedhealth.com/blog/how-nurses-can-help-dismantle-racial-healthcare-disparity
The full transcript for this episode can be found here: www.trustedhealth.com/the-handoff-podcast/shawna-butler
