What if our healthcare system kept us healthy? - Rebecca Onie | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Health Leads seeks to address the underlying social determinants of health by connecting patients with essential resources through a network of college student advocates.

Key Insights

• 🧑‍⚕️ Health Leads aims to shift the focus of healthcare from managing disease to promoting health by addressing social determinants.
• 😷 By integrating their model into electronic medical records, Health Leads is transforming the healthcare system into a health promotion tool.
• 🇰🇼 The organization envisions a reinvention of clinic waiting rooms to provide access to resources that promote health rather than simply waiting.
• 💉 Health Leads highlights the underutilized potential of the healthcare workforce, including college students, to address patients' basic health needs.
• 🪡 Their model demonstrates the need for a broader approach to healthcare, recognizing that medications alone are not enough to keep patients healthy.
• 😌 Health Leads believes that the true measure of healthcare lies in the prevention of diseases and the rarity of using specialized technologies.
• 📺 The organization emphasizes the importance of realizing our shared vision for healthcare and the potential for choosing a healthcare system that aligns with our aspirations.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: What inspired the creation of Health Leads?

The founder was inspired by an internship where she witnessed the connection between housing issues and underlying health problems faced by low-income families.

Q: How does Health Leads connect patients with resources?

Health Leads operates through a network of college student advocates who work side by side with families to connect them to existing community resources.

Q: How does Health Leads approach healthcare differently?

Health Leads focuses on addressing social determinants of health rather than solely managing diseases, with doctors and nurses prescribing resources alongside medication.

Q: What impact can college student advocates have on healthcare?

College student advocates offer a Next Generation healthcare leadership pipeline by connecting with patients and understanding their basic health needs, helping to shape future healthcare practices.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Health Leads was founded based on conversations with low-income families in Boston who faced housing issues linked to underlying health problems.

• The organization uses a simple model where doctors and nurses can prescribe nutrition, food, heat, and other basic resources to patients.

• Health Leads has expanded its efforts to include systemic change by incorporating their model into electronic medical records and clinic waiting rooms.