The American Hospital Association's 2021 Hospital Community Collaborative aims "to advance health equity in their communities and build local capacity to improve community health."
The American Hospital Association (AHA) recently announced the launch of the 2021 Hospital Community Collaborative (HCC), a cohort program created by the AHA Center for Health Innovation, focused on addressing health equity and disparities.
The initiative, which first launched in 2019, aims to “advance health equity in their communities and build local capacity to improve community health," according to the press release.
This year's cohort will focus on disparities caused by, made worse, or underscored by the COVID-19 pandemic. Hospitals and health systems interested in addressing health inequities and disparities can enroll in the 2021 cohort.
Participants will have access to virtual tools and resources to address social determinants of health in the communities they serve, including frameworks for strategic partnerships and opportunities to learn from and teach other organizations.
"Healthcare has a long way to go to effectively address health inequity, but there are evidence-based approaches to start tackling—or continue the battle against— the social factors that put marginalized populations at risk," Nancy Myers, vice president of leadership and system innovation at AHA Center for Health Innovation, said in a statement. "By joining the Hospital Community Collaborative, health care providers can explore and deploy new approaches, both simple and complex, to develop effective community partnerships and make health care accessible for all people."
Additionally, the AHA acknowledged that a $1.7 million grant from the Novartis US Foundation made the new, multi-year phase of the HCC program possible.
"Health inequity is real and it contributes to poor health and loss lives, a reality that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 epidemic," Patrice Matchaba, president of the Novartis US Foundation, said in a statement. "By tearing down silos and offering critical resources, we can help hospitals and health systems reach outside their four walls to help people live better, fuller lives."
MGMA survey identified the top impacts the pandemic had on medical practices, including patient volumes, compensation, and costs.
MGMA released a report Thursday afternoon underscoring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical practices.
The report identified the challenges faced by physician practices and medical groups due to the pandemic, including declining patient volumes, effects on compensation, and cost concerns.
Almost one-third of healthcare leaders reported an unexpected physician retirement last year as clinical staffers dealt with unprecedented stress related to treating infected patients.
Notably, almost every physician practice reported a drop in patient volume in April 2020, but by June, 87% of practices reported recovered some of their patient volumes. Similarly, wRVUs saw a fast recovery, and by June, had near or above the reported levels for February and March.
More than 80% of healthcare leaders reported that some or all their providers' compensation were affected by the pandemic. Surgical and nonsurgical physicians saw the largest decrease in compensation from the beginning of the pandemic into the summer of 2020.
"The data tells the story of a very challenging time in history and how quickly and creatively a majority of practices were able to pivot and survive," Andrew Swanson, MPA, CMPE, MGMA vice president of industry insights, said in a statement. "To sustain patient care and volume, support staff working remotely, enhancing safety procedures and embracing telehealth, practice leaders and healthcare workers adapted to extraordinary levels to overcome the pandemic’s impact."
The report also identified the following key impacts on medical practices:
Medical practices saw total operating costs decrease due to increased PPE costs and decreased patient volumes, which lead to spending cuts elsewhere.
Nearly every respondent reported the total cost of PPE increased, and 15% said the cost increased by more than 100%.
Additionally, the report shared six factors that healthcare leaders identified as helping their medical practices survive the impacts of the pandemic:
Rapid and efficient response to relief aid efforts
Staffing stability and resilience
Finding the correct telehealth offerings to utilize for their practices
Reexamining payments and collections for patients
Keeping communication and engagement open with patients through digital means and phone calls
Nearly 2 million enrollees have reduced their monthly premiums by an average of over 40% due to premium tax credits included in the American Rescue Plan (ARP), reducing $100 monthly premiums to $57.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra announced Thursday that nearly 940,000 Americans have signed up for health coverage on HealthCare.gov during the Biden administration's special enrollment period (SEP) for the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.
The SEP, originally announced in January, began on February 15 for the 36 states that use the HealthCare.gov platform.
The original SEP was set to conclude on May 15 but HHS announced in March that marketplace consumers now have until August 15 to enroll in ACA coverage, compare and switch plans, and see if they qualify for more affordable premiums.
"Families and individuals are signing up for high-quality insurance that the American Rescue Plan made more affordable,” Becerra said in a statement. "Across America there is a need and demand for high-quality, low-cost health insurance. That’s why we are doing all we can to reach people who need coverage. Americans who need health coverage to start as soon as June 1 should visit HealthCare.gov or CuidadoDeSalud.gov today to see what health plans are available to them. A few moments of your time are all that it takes for you to save your family money, get better care, and have peace of mind."
Nearly 2 million enrollees have reduced their monthly premiums by an average of over 40% due to premium tax credits included in the American Rescue Plan (ARP), reducing $100 monthly premiums to $57.
New enrollees during the SEP have seen premiums fall over 25%, after increased tax credits, according to HHS. Premiums for those enrolling from February 15 through March 31 were $117, while those enrolling in April had premiums of $86 per month.
Out of pocket spending costs also declined for new consumers, as average deductible costs for new enrollees during the SEP fell almost 90% from $450 prior to April 1 to $50 after the increased tax credits.
Dr. Carladenise Edwards, executive vice president and chief strategy officer at Henry Ford Health System, shares the organization’s initiatives around healthcare equity, her accomplishments as a healthcare executive, and advice for future leaders.
For Dr. Carladenise Edwards, who currently serves as executive vice president and chief strategy officer at Henry Ford Health System (HFHS), her career has been defined by roles in various aspects of the healthcare sector for nearly 30 years.
Long before she joined the Detroit-based integrated, nonprofit healthcare organization, Edwards started her journey as a policy analyst for the Department of Health and Human Services.
Over time, Edwards climbed the corporate ladder, serving as executive vice president and chief strategy officer at Providence St. Joseph Health. Prior to that role, she served as chief strategy officer for Alameda Health System alongside HFHS' current CEO, Wright Lassiter III.
She joined HFHS in July 2020, where she provides executive counsel and leadership for the system’s strategic planning efforts as well as partnership ventures, business development and transformation initiatives, government affairs, and Henry Ford Innovations.
Dr. Carladenise Edwards, executive vice president and chief strategy officer at Henry Ford Health System (Photo courtesy of Henry Ford Health System)
In this episode of the HealthLeaders Women in Healthcare Leadership Podcast, Edwards shares HFHS' initiatives around healthcare equity, her accomplishments as a healthcare leader, and advice for future leaders.
This transcript has been edited for clarity and brevity.
HealthLeaders: When we spoke in early July 2020, before you started your role with HFHS, you spoke about your passion for providing equitable, accessible care to the diverse community that the organization serves. What has the health system accomplished over the last year around disparities and providing equitable healthcare?
Carladenise Edwards: [HFHS], like many of our brothers and sister organizations across the country, has doubled down on trying to figure out the way in which we can tackle and, in essence, eliminate health disparities.
Many of us deep in the trenches knew this before, but COVID brought to the forefront the inequity in healthcare outcomes for various populations, including people of color and the poor.
[HFHS] has been laser-focused on:
Identifying what some of the root causes are of those inequities, specifically for COVID, but also for other diseases.
Creating a plan and strategy that's a little bit different than what's been done.
In the past, we've looked at ways in which we've adopted policy or implemented new processes or procedures that would change the trajectory of care. We still need to do that.
But we also need to be clear on what the status is for disease states and communities so that we can set a goal for eliminating the gap: outcomes for white women versus Black women as it relates to dying in childbirth, for obesity rates among those in the Hispanic community relative to those in the white community. Also, [we’re] looking at things like violence and the perpetuation of violence in communities against communities, particularly with what we're seeing with Asian hate.
It's been my pleasure to work with a rock star team of people, led by our chief diversity officer, Dr. Kimberly Dawn Wisdom, and our CEO, Wright Lassiter. We're laser-focused on making sure we know what the numbers are and then creating real direct policies, programs, and inspiring collaboration to close those gaps in health disparities between communities of color in Detroit and the surrounding areas that we serve.
HL: What upcoming initiatives are being contemplated by HFHS and what are the strategies behind those?
Edwards: Some of those strategies deal with the social determinants of health (SDOH) if we're talking specifically about strategies related to addressing health inequity. The SDOH are things like transportation and the inability to get to and from appointments, living in food deserts or communities that don't have access to healthy or affordable food, and even things like the environment or living in a place that's safe.
One of the things that we're doing here at HFHS is working in partnership with the community to figure out what are the indicators and determinants of poor health outcomes and then how do we work to address those. Everything from partnerships with the grocery stores and local markets, to working with the city in an initiative called Connect 313 to ensure there's broadband access and internet access, as well as access to the physical devices that are needed to schedule an appointment online or to have a virtual visit.
HL: You've served in healthcare for almost 30 years, what are some of your greatest accomplishments in healthcare policy?
Edwards: I think about my accomplishments not that often or that frequently, but I'll be reminded of them when I get a phone call, or a LinkedIn post, or a tweet from somebody that I worked with, or worked for, who's rocking it. For me, my greatest accomplishments and pride come from looking at folks that I've had the opportunity to mentor, coach, or promote, who are exceeding me in their careers and exceeding my expectations.
I've also had the benefit and privilege of doing small tactical things.
When I worked in Georgia, and I worked for a phenomenal leader, Dr. Rhonda Medows, who was the commissioner for the Department of Community Health. We got a chance to add hearing aids and audiology as a benefit to the state employee health program and the Medicaid program. I have a son and a husband who [are both] deaf, so something as small as being able to add that as a covered benefit brings me great pride.
HL: What has been your experience as a woman working in healthcare leadership? If applicable, what hurdles have you faced and overcome?
Edwards: Having worked for many organizations: government, nonprofit, public, Catholic healthcare, etc., I've learned a lot as a female.
There's not a lot of us up here in the corner offices. Most offices are filled by men. There are some good organizations like [HFHS], which has a very diverse and warm executive leadership team. I also had the privilege of having quite a few female peers when I worked at Providence St. Joseph Health. Our leader there, Dr. Rod Hochman, was adamant about women serving in leadership.
Getting in the door is a challenge, staying in the door is a challenge, but being able to provide a perspective and a worldview that changes the strategy or the trajectory of the organization for the good. I think the benefit of having a diverse leadership team is not whether you're male or female, black or white, it's having a difference of opinion, a difference of experience, and perspective that forces a conversation that ensures you've considered all the options. I don't think you can do that if you're a monolithic team.
For women, we struggle with getting in the room, we struggle with staying in the room, but we often struggle, too, with representing the interest of other women, of diverse populations, and different perspectives, because many of us got in the room because they think we think like men. They think we can perhaps behave or perform like men, or with a level of discretion that's symbolic of a male's kind of genotype. We think we must behave a certain way in order to get in the room and stay in the room.
I think that the biggest challenge is bringing your unique experience to the boardroom, to the discussion, and enabling that to help shape the trajectory of the business in a positive way. It's hard work.
HL: What advice do you have for women who want to serve in leadership roles in healthcare and beyond?
Edwards: My advice to other women is to be courageous, to be brave, but also to have a little bit of fun, and not take yourself too seriously. We only have so few moments on the planet, and so few moments to connect with one another in a meaningful way.
We need to take every opportunity we get. If we're focused on success and climbing the corporate ladder and getting to the next position or getting to the next role, you miss out on the joys and the lessons and the pleasure of the role that you're in. You need to enjoy where you are right now because tomorrow's not promised.
The acquisition will make myNEXUS a wholly owned subsidiary of Anthem.
Anthem Inc. announced the completion of its acquisition of home-based nursing management company myNexus Thursday morning.
MyNexus will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Anthem, with its associates joining Anthem's Diversified Business Group.
MyNEXUS delivers integrated clinical support services to approximately 1.7 million Medicare Advantage members across 20 states while also offering a digital platform to automate the home visit process and staffing over 250 clinicians.
"We are excited to combine myNEXUS’ power of digital and advanced analytics to expertly manage and coordinate home-based healthcare with the offerings that the Diversified Business Group brings including a deeper set of clinical pathways and member navigation as well as social drivers of health and behavioral health, to create truly integrated solutions," Prakash Patel, MD, executive vice president at Anthem and president of Anthem's Diversified Business Group, said in a statement. "The addition of myNEXUS fits with Anthem’s strategy to deliver whole person care and offer a seamless end to end experience that will help improve outcomes, reduce readmissions and improve members’ and their family’s experience of wellbeing."
Financial information about the transaction was not disclosed, but Anthem stated that its earnings per share guidance remains unchanged.
The acquisition comes a week after the company released its latest earnings report, and two weeks after the company announced the launch of Hydrogen Health, LLC, a joint venture with K Health and Blackstone Growth.
Gary Kaplan, MD, FACP, FACMPE, FACPE and Ketul Patel share how the Washington-based provider organizations advanced from a strategic alliance to a merger, how the dual-CEO model is working for them, and why their respective leadership styles complement each other.
Despite a global pandemic that battered the healthcare industry, Seattle-based Virginia Mason Health System and CHI Franciscan merged in early 2021 to form Virginia Mason Franciscan Health (VMFH), an integrated health system with 11 hospitals and nearly 300 sites of care across Seattle and the Puget Sound region in Washington.
Gary S. Kaplan, MD, FACP, FACMPE, FACPE, who previously served as chairman and CEO of Virginia Mason, and Ketul J. Patel, who previously served as CEO of CHI Franciscan Health, are now co-leading the newly formed health system.
Recently, Kaplan and Patel spoke with HealthLeaders about the merger of two Washington-based health systems, how the dual-CEO model is working for them, and why their respective leadership styles complement each other.
From a strategic alliance to a merger
Before merging, CHI Franciscan and Virginia Mason originally formed a strategic alliance and clinical affiliation in 2017. Through the arrangement, Patel said the organizations aimed to:
Expand an existing radiation oncology partnership
Create a joint ambulatory site on Bainbridge Island
Have CHI Franciscan learn from Virginia Mason's production system and pilot one of its Marion campuses around it
"Having that partnership allowed us to get to know each other. We thought after we spent time with our respective boards that we would be much better together than separate," Patel said. "Our plan moving forward from a strategic perspective is going to be exceptional because we're one organization as opposed to two."
Kaplan echoed Patel's sentiments, adding that while the strategic partnership was positive for Virginia Mason, joining together would only strengthen the shared goals of both organizations.
"When we wanted to create single standards of care, create access sites across western Washington, and when Virginia Mason looked at its future as a small system in an environment that was increasingly characterized by large consolidated systems, we felt that it was a better long-term opportunity to serve the people in our communities by coming together," Kaplan said.
According to Kaplan and Patel, several of the goals from merging the two organizations include:
Providing the highest quality, highest-value care to more patients
Building scale over a greater geographic area while offering more services
Leveraging standardized best practices across the consolidated organization
Building on the organization’s foundation as a destination site of care
Co-leading a newly formed health system
For VMFH, the co-CEO structure is a temporary model that is being used to accelerate the integration of the two organizations.
"We want to bring the strongest elements of both systems together and build on the best of both organizations," Kaplan said. "Rather than create the kind of ‘dissynergy’ that sometimes happens when these kinds of comings together occur, we felt that we could accelerate the progress early on and go with a model where we are sharing this responsibility for the time being."
Patel added that even though he and Kaplan are co-leading the organization, it's important that both of them make sure that collectively there's only one voice coming from the office of the CEO, which they have successfully managed to do thus far.
"There's a tremendous amount of respect between the two of us. We felt that what the most sense in the beginning, given the scale of the organization and what we wanted to do in terms of learning from [the] legacy organizations, was this dyad CEO model," Patel said.
Through the co-CEO roles and Kaplan’s continued support, Patel said he has quickly navigated the learning curve related to Virginia Mason's operations.
Kaplan said the established relationship with CHI Franciscan from the strategic alliance laid a strong foundation for his relationship with Patel, which he said has evolved and is predicated on “trust and embodying a shared vision for what we can accomplish."
He also mentioned that the two have become friends, which he considers “healthy because when times get tough, it's relationships that are the glue that holds people and organizations together."
Both Kaplan and Patel reiterated that they work in sync as leaders: complimentary in how they approach issues and yet willing to offer different viewpoints to the other.
Kaplan, who served as CEO of Virginia Mason for over two decades, describes his leadership style as being collaborative and open-minded. He added that he leads with curiosity and aims to help people achieve their highest potential.
Patel, who served as CEO of CHI Franciscan since early 2015, said his and Kaplan's leading styles share a lot of similarities, adding that as a leader he strives to always be learning from the board members, management, and staff of the organization.
Merging and the first 100 days
After signing the non-binding memorandum of understanding last summer, Patel and Kaplan immediately took steps to start forming the new organization, earlier than most organizations would, Patel said. The two executives had more than 200 leaders from each legacy organization meet over the summer and established 50 planning teams to collaborate on creating an integration plan ahead of the January closing date.
When Patel and Kaplan put together the new board following the merger, they selected leaders from both legacy organizations to guide VMFH.
"Our team has come together, we're spending a lot of time together, getting to know each other, building those relationships and that trust, and that's critically important work,” Kaplan added, "All of this is going on, of course, while we're taking care of patients across our communities, particularly during COVID."
As of late April, VMFH has administered almost 300,000 vaccines across the community, Kaplan said. The organization partnered with Amazon to set up mass vaccination clinics in Seattle, and it has worked with public health departments across both Seattle and the Tacoma regions.
"We want to be a supportive organization that's there for our team members as well as for our patients," Kaplan said. "In many ways, the expression I like to use is that we're changing the tires while the car is going down the freeway."
Kaplan added that while there was a risk for the organizations by beginning to come together before a final merger agreement was reached, both leaders thought it was better to start the process early so that on day one, they could operate fully rather than waiting another handful of months.
Reflecting on the challenges related to merging during a pandemic, Patel said what boosted him were the "relationships that were already formed” as well as the “team whose exclusive focus was on the deal coming together."
"We're proud of our teams with everything that's happened over the course of the last year," he added. "It was so much sacrifice and there's certainly so much focus on making sure our patients are being taken care of in an integrated way, and so we want to recognize [them.]"
Eighty percent of surveyed employers, who said they do not blame any singular cause for excessive costs, agree government intervention would be good for both their businesses and employees.
A new survey found 85% of large employers expect government intervention will be required to help provide coverage and contain costs.
The Kaiser Family Foundation, Purchaser Business Group on Health, and West Health Institute survey also found that 90% of respondents believe in the next 5 to 10 years, the costs of providing health benefits will become "unsustainable."
80% of surveyed employers, who said they do not blame any singular cause for excessive costs, agree government intervention would be good for both their businesses and employees.
"The new political landscape may portend a new and more viable discussion of expanded roles for government in providing health coverage and restraining prices and costs,” the report concluded. “While this has long been controversial, the results of this study suggest that the employers are frustrated by the current healthcare system and their limited opportunities to address cost, and that they may be open to options that involve a broader role for government.”
Additionally, the survey found employers overwhelmingly agree with the need for “greater government roles in providing coverage and addressing healthcare costs," a contrast to the commonly held notion that employers don't want legislators to interfere, according to the report.
The survey also found several policy points that business leaders support, including:
Enforcing and strengthening anti-trust laws, and prohibiting anti-competitive conduct, by providers, prescription manufacturers, and health plans
Putting caps on hospital prices in non-competitive markets
Limiting the amount of out-of-network charges
Negotiating and limiting drug prices
Offerings of public option plans and lowering the age of Medicare eligibility
A new Willis Towers Watson survey found that four out of five employers plan to promote DEI in their workplace and more than eight in ten employers believe SDOH strategies will be essential to their organizations.
Over the next three years, employers are expected to increase efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and social determinants of health (SDOH) strategies in their workplace, according to a Willis Towers Watson survey released Tuesday morning.
The research found that 80% of employers plan to promote DEI in their workplace over the next three years, an increase from the 55% of employers that took similar approaches over the past three years.
Additionally, more than eight-in-10 employers believe SDOH strategies will be essential over the next three years, compared to the 66% of employers who currently consider SDOH important for their organization.
This survey is the latest in data pointing to the importance of SDOH and DEI initiatives in the healthcare sector.
"Employers recognize the need for greater diversity and inclusion in the workplace and are taking steps to address equity and access in their benefit programs," Rachael McCann, senior director of health and benefits at WTW, said in a statement. "By shifting benefit program discussions from inclusivity to equitable health and wealth outcomes, employers will be able to identify specific areas for improvement — and that often leads to a focus on access, affordability and quality."
Key DEI survey responses include:
Over 72% of employers said they will promote DEI-related aspects of their benefit programs and almost 70% will promote wellbeing programs over the next three years, which is more than double the number of employers that have promoted such programs over the last three years.
While 50% of respondents have already made strides on their maternity benefits, family planning, and fertility programs, an additional 33% plan to act in the next two years.
Almost 50% of employers have introduced transgender benefits, while an additional 30% plan to roll them out over the next two years.
Over half of employers have addressed employee resource groups and absence programs, while an additional quarter plan to do so within the next two years.
The survey found employers are looking to "examine key healthcare indicators” through an SDOH lens. Key SDOH survey responses include:
Over 40% of employers conducted an assessment to examine virtual care access among employee groups, while over 30% are planning or considering doing so over the next two years.
Over 30% evaluated SDoH factors during preventative care and screening visits, while nearly one-third of respondents are planning or considering doing so over the next few years.
Over 30% examine healthcare utilization by key conditions, while over 35% are planning or considering doing so in the next few years.
Over 20% have evaluated the affordability of benefits compared to salary, while almost 30% are planning or considering doing so in the next few years.
"The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated already existing health disparities,” Julie Stone, managing director of health and benefits at WTW, said in a statement. “Yet, it has also helped employers to understand the need to address social determinants of health in their benefit program strategies. By doing all they can to understand the needs of each workforce sector, employers can make it possible for all employees to thrive.”
Claus Jensen will lead Teladoc's research and development team to increase healthcare access and experience for patients.
Teledoc Health announced the appointment of Claus Jensen as the virtual care organization's new CIO Monday morning.
Jensen, who has more than two decades of experience in the healthcare and technology sectors, will lead Teladoc Health's research and development team by focusing on product innovation, data science, technological expertise, and clinical care as a way to "transform how people access and experience healthcare around the world," according to a company press release.
Jensen’s appointment comes days ahead of the release of Teladoc Health’s Q1 earnings report.
"We are excited to welcome Claus to the Teladoc Health team to lead our innovation efforts," Jason Gorevic, CEO of Teladoc Health, said in a statement. "With deep experience transforming hospital systems and health plans, Claus is the right leader at the right time to accelerate Teladoc Health’s vision of connecting the healthcare experience from hospital to home."
Jensen previously served as chief digital officer and head of technology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Care. Prior to that, he served in leadership roles for IBM and chief technology officer for CVS Health-Aetna.
"Having grown up with a family full of healthcare professionals, I have always recognized the importance of personalized and accessible healthcare experiences," Jensen said in a statement. "Teladoc Health continues to leverage technology and data insights and deliver on the promise of whole-person virtual care by providing access to high-quality and personalized care anywhere."
This announcement comes almost a month after the Purchase, New York-based telemedicine company saw an 18% decline in stock for the month of March, a contrast to its growth in 2020 due to the pandemic. While Teladoc Health is forecasting 80% growth for 2021, telehealth is seeing increased competition from tech giants including Amazon and Microsoft.
Reed Melton, BCBSA Vice President of Clinical Operations, lays out how the organization has taken steps to support vaccination efforts for communities nationwide, with a focus on underserved patient populations.
More than 87.5 million people have been fully vaccinated as public health efforts to curb COVID-19 continue across the nation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Thursday. The ongoing success of the U.S. vaccination distribution campaign has depended on coordinated public health efforts at the state and federal levels, along with help from healthcare companies such as Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA.)
According to its website, BCBSA and its companies are "in a strong position to help with the COVID-19 vaccine effort" due to members living in every ZIP code across the U.S., enabling the health insurer to "have the knowledge to assess and meet local needs" for distributing the vaccines.
Reed Melton, BCBSA Vice President of Clinical Operations, recently spoke with HealthLeaders about how the organization has taken steps to support vaccination efforts for communities nationwide, with a focus on underserved patient populations.
The transcript has been edited for clarity and brevity.
HealthLeaders: What role has BCBSA played in the nationwide response to the COVID-19 vaccine rollout so far?
Reed Melton: I'm involved in the work that is underway related to COVID-19 vaccinations and am amazed by the effort that it is taking to get this done.
The Blue Cross Blue Shield companies are invested in the work and activity that it takes in their local markets, with close to $7 billion spent [towards] the COVID 19 pandemic. We've invested our time and resources into the [vaccination] efforts across the country, and the companies are working with their state and local officials to assist the vaccine effort.
In terms of addressing needs as it relays to vaccinations, [these include]:
Opportunities to develop and fund materials that support programs that are focused on educating individuals and communities on the safety and the importance of these vaccines, while at the same time counteracting any false or misleading information that we might see out in the public domain.
Providing prominent administrative support, including operations and thinkers to ease some of those difficult pain points as it relates to operationalizing the effort.
Addressing the needs of underserved populations or at-risk communities where residents are the most vulnerable and have the most risk, [and looking at] how do we get to those folks, how do we address their low confidence in taking vaccines?
Identifying where we have opportunities to provide medical staff. We have medical staff from [BCBS companies] and clinicians help volunteer with training and providing medical and clinical support needed.
Providing vaccinations sites; parking lots, office spaces, retail spaces, and mobile vans to help speed up the inoculation process.
Given the fact that a lot of this work is so localized, (we're in every zip code across the country), you have to do some groundwork on addressing and reaching out to underserved communities. [Whether that’s] through local outreach programs, group awareness efforts, and collaboration with the local health department, community partners, and other leaders.
HL: What steps have BCBS taken to ensure vaccine equity in underserved communities?
Melton: One of the efforts is the work that we're [undertaking] with the Biden administration is the Vaccine Community Connectors Program, where we are focused on efforts to vaccinate 2 million or so [at-risk] folks against COVID-19, particularly seniors.
BCBS Minnesota (BCBS MN) [is focusing] their efforts to support the Native American Community Clinic, which is focused on restoring founded mistrust of the medical system and offers clinically appropriate care. [BCBS MN] is doing an amazing job in currently [administering the] COVID-19 vaccine to Native American elders.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana (BCBS Louisiana) are doing co-sponsoring work as a part of a mass vaccination effort with African American churches. BCBS Louisiana did that work early in March and participated in several press conferences. [There was] an event with 100 Black Men of America, a men's civic organization and service club, the Baton Rouge Federal Hospital, several leaders from local churches, and the Baton Rouge mayor, along with other elected officials and community leaders.
Out of the 1,000 or so people who were vaccinated, 87% of the recipients were African American. It was so successful that the state of Louisiana is planning a follow up event to ensure that [communities] get the second dose.
A few of the remaining focus points continue to be increasing education and getting those vaccines out of the vial and into the arm.
One great example of what the CDC is doing to address issues around education comes from our partnership with Feeding America to provide educational materials around COVID-19 vaccines, providing a constant source of information. Feeding America has a network of 200 food banks reaching over 40 million people across the U.S., so it was a great opportunity for us to be that trusted source of information because we want to get folks vaccinated.
Companies across the country continue to work in their local communities and the goal is to ensure that everyone can get a vaccine.
A couple of examples that come to mind out of our healthcare service organizations are BCBS of Texas and Oklahoma using their Care Van program to reach underserved communities across Oklahoma. The Care Van program has provided more than 1,500 doses of the Moderna vaccine to the underserved populations in collaboration with the Tulsa Health Department.
BCBS of Texas had great results in terms of getting 4,000 vaccinations started in El Paso County. Latino/Hispanic residents make up something like 83% of the population there, but when you look at it in terms of the number of reported cases of COVID-19, more than 90% of the cases are from this population, so the ability to get the Latino/Hispanic population vaccinated is a great example leveraging the Care Van program.
HL: What initiatives can hospitals and health systems implement to strengthen their own vaccine rollout strategies?
Melton: We've seen some evidence in recent reports that personal healthcare providers are the most trusted source of information on the COVID-19 vaccine, followed by the CDC, and then local health departments. Take what you will from that, but it's significant that personal healthcare providers are an extremely trusted source.
It’s also important to note that provider rollout, communications, and campaigning that builds on the back of past trust have been successful in terms of improving our ability to eradicate any number of diseases in the past. Look at smallpox, polio, measles, diphtheria, even whooping cough. There's an opportunity for us to leverage that same [strategy] and be open and transparent about the vaccine process for COVID-19 as a trusted source of information.
You want to be able to leverage that level of confidence and put experts on the stage while providing clinically sound information that people can trust.
We're excited about the opportunity to lead and to help spread awareness. Our [BCBS] companies continue to partner with medical, community partners, local health groups, community leaders, and others who can help us lead vaccination efforts and adjust operations to accommodate new safety protocols due to the pandemic.