Joel Bervell

Reallocating money from healthcare services to address social determinants of health is often seen as a bold move. However, more states across the US are beginning to use limited medical funding to tackle cost of living issues that contribute to ill health. While medications are widely accepted for health conditions, prescribing housing is now also gaining traction in the US in response to the life-threatening risks of homelessness. California is pioneering Medicaid reforms through CalAIM — the state-federal health insurance program for low-income people — to integrate housing solutions into healthcare for vulnerable populations, recognising housing’s cornerstone role in social determinants of health. And while California is making the biggest strides, they aren’t alone. At least 19 states are directing money from Medicaid into housing aid to address the nation’s growing homelessness epidemic, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. This inspiring initiative underscores the importance of affordable and secure housing in ensuring people’s safety, well-being, and health. #housing #socialhealth #housing

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"Any discussion of public health funding in the U.S. must start with how little there is." If you want to better understand the sad state of public health funding, this is the piece to read. #publichealth #funding https://lnkd.in/dbnVpkuQ

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Yes yes and more yes. Time to free public health from health care and the traditional ways that “health” is funded and valued. They talk innovation and social determinants but they place value on immediate and direct clinical outcomes when the science shows that that’s not how it works. If you want to address SDOH then you have to put your money where your mouth is. And let us address the things that matter without holding the checkbook over our heads that’s tied to healthcare savings.

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Retail health is hitting an inflection point. Walmart Health: gone Walgreens' VillageMD: going Dollar General: ?gone CVS Health and Amazon appear to be fighting the headwinds, but we'll see. I wrote a deep report on the rise and fall of retail health. It covers everything you need to know about the trend! Subscribe to my weekly Healthcare Huddle newsletter to read the report this Sunday! 👉 [https://lnkd.in/dbP7_Wbz] #healthcare #retailhealth #business #insurance

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As a patient and advocate, I have to wonder why so many healthcare conferences regarding RARE Disease, don’t include patients. That is the time to hear, first hand, how this disease affects their patients beyond the clinical aspect. Which is an important factor of disease research. So many speaking engagements have turned patients, like myself, down because it’s limited to those who work In healthcare, science or research. Patients should be the first thought when having conferences. RARE patients should be at the forefront of all conferences, not a last thought. I am striving to work towards the inclusion of patients, no matter the budget. I’d love to hear your thoughts, if you work in RARE disease, on why you believe this is a common occurrence. #raredisease #raredisorder #nonprofit

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📢 Attention All MCH Champions, Colleagues, Collaborators, and Communities! The USCDI Maternal Health draft data set is now available for public comment! https://lnkd.in/en_96YJJ This is an incredible opportunity to shape the future of maternal health data interoperability, and we need your insights and expertise at the table. 🔍 What's Happening? The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) has opened a 60-day public comment period for the USCDI Maternal Health draft data set. Your feedback is crucial in understanding how maternal health data impacts outcomes for both mothers and children. 📝 Why Participate? As someone who has served on the GA Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) for 3 years, I've seen firsthand that 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable. One key contributing factor is the lack of continuity of care due to poor interoperability of critical health information. We need a health information system that acts as an agnostic connective tissue, ensuring seamless sharing and access to vital maternal health data. Your input on the importance and ease of collecting these data elements and the potential burden of capturing and sharing them electronically is essential. This feedback will advance the interoperability of maternal health data, ensuring better health outcomes. 💡 Get Started To help you begin, a Knowledge Brief is available, including framing questions to consider. This will guide you through the key aspects of the data set and the feedback process. Here is a link to the Knowledge Brief: https://lnkd.in/eX-U6tg9 🔑 How to Submit Feedback 1. Create an Account: Go to the USCDI Platform and click 'log in' at the top right. Select 'Create USCDI Account' and follow the prompts. 2. Submit Your Comments: Navigate the platform to find the USCDI Maternal Health draft data set. Share your insights and suggestions. For more detailed instructions, refer to the USCDI User Guides. If you need any assistance, please email [email protected]. 🗓️ Deadline Submit your comments by July 31, 2024, at 11:59 PM ET. Let's work together to improve #maternalhealth outcomes! Share this announcement widely and encourage others to participate. Our voices matter! #populationhealth #healthequity #healthIT #maternalhealthdata #interoperability #USCDI

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More and more health equity advocates are aware of Project 2025, a Republican policy agenda. But the broader public needs to be aware of the huge impact this agenda would have on Medicaid benefits for children and adults. Kudos to policy analyst Edwin Park who has carefully reviewed the impact of Project 2025. His analysis is deeply worrying: “The Project 2025 plan would eliminate many existing federal Medicaid beneficiary protections and requirements. For example, it would set time limits on Medicaid coverage and impose lifetime caps on benefits, which are now prohibited. “It would also allow states to increase premiums and cost-sharing above current limits and to also presumably impose premiums and cost-sharing on beneficiaries like children and pregnant people who are now exempt.” Donald Trump has tried to distance himself from Project 2025, but several of his former advisors or appointees are linked to this document in various ways. #Medicaid #children #Project2025 #healthpolicy #healthequity #poverty #healthcare #pregnancy #earlychildhood

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The Commonwealth Fund's latest report, "Advancing Racial Equity in U.S. Health Care: The Commonwealth Fund 2024 State Health Disparities Report," reveals concerning disparities in healthcare access, quality, and outcomes across racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. The report evaluated state health system performance for five groups, including Black, white, American Indian and Alaska Native, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, and Hispanic individuals. Among 25 indicators of health system performance, three performance domains were evaluated: health outcomes, healthcare access, and quality and use of healthcare services. While Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut performed relatively well for all groups, they still showed considerable disparities in access to care, quality of care, and health outcomes. Conversely, healthcare systems in states like Oklahoma, West Virginia, and Mississippi performed poorly for all groups. The report also found that preventable mortality rates are higher for Black and white residents in Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Missouri compared to most other parts of the U.S. In states like New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming, premature death rates for Hispanic residents are higher than other places in the country, where those rates align more closely with rates for white residents. Overall, Massachusetts, Hawaii, and New Hampshire performed best for Hispanic individuals, while Oklahoma and South Carolina performed worst. South Dakota, North Dakota, and Alaska had the worst-performing health systems for American Indian individuals, while North Carolina's system was the best for this group. The report was not able to calculate scores for most states for this group, however. The Commonwealth Fund's report highlights the need for continued efforts to address racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare access, quality, and outcomes. Learn more about the report's methodology and findings here. IHIAmbulatory Care Accreditation - The Joint CommissionJoint Commission ACGMEABIM FoundationUAB School of Health ProfessionsNAHSE Heartland ChapterACGMEProvidenceEmory University School of MedicineCooper University Health CareMorehouse School of Medicine

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This year, I had the opportunity to teach media, communication, advocacy, and diplomacy to public health students. My lessons: https://lnkd.in/eFGk8uWu

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