Radio Advisory

In this episode, Rae sits down with Chief Health Equity Officer for United Health Group Michael Currie and VP of social responsibility for Optum, Graham McLaughlin. Together, they discuss why statements that condemn structural racism are not enough, and why leaders must take an authentic approach to combatting racism and improving health equity. Radio Advisory is produced by Advisory Board, a division of Optum, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group. More resources: United Healthcare Health equity How Rush University Medical Center is addressing the root causes of social determinants of health The field guide for defining providers' role in addressing social determinants of health Advisory Board is a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group. All Advisory Board research, expert perspectives, and recommendations remain independent.

Craig connects with Susan Pastor, an experienced nursing executive who has led teams through all kinds of stressful situations. She shares lessons about fostering teamwork in times of crisis. Equip your rising executives with the leadership and business skills they need to navigate the complexity of health care, solve difficult challenges and achieve breakthrough performance. Learn more about the Advisory Board Fellowship.

In this installment of Radio Advisory, Rae is joined by Clare Wirth, an experienced Advisory Board consultant that leads research on behavioral health and care delivery transformation, to discuss the psychological effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Behavioral health needs in the US were already at an all-time high even before Covid-19 became a global crisis, with the highest recorded deaths of despair (related to suicide, alcohol and drugs) in the last 20 years. Living through this coronavirus pandemic causes more grief, fear and anxiety for Americans, an increased sense of loneliness that comes with weeks of social distancing, more opportunities for intimate partner violence and greater possibility of relapse for those struggling with substance abuse. Knowing the existing barriers to behavioral health treatment, health system leaders should be looking to promote available behavioral health resources at every staff meeting for the next three to six months, and foster cross-industry collaboration to align behavioral health treatment with other health services. More resources: How you should (and shouldn't) talk with your staff about mental health Managing mental health during Covid-19 Coping with stress

Now is a time for human-centered leadership. Craig discusses the importance of empathy and things that leaders can do to demonstrate it, with Matt Cornner, who leads the Advisory Board’s program for rising health care executives. More resources: NAACP Legal Defense Fund president on why George Floyd's killing sparked nationwide protests | 60 Minutes Episode 19: Why racism is a health care issue Equip your rising executives with the leadership and business skills they need to navigate the complexity of health care, solve difficult challenges and achieve breakthrough performance. Learn more about the Advisory Board Fellowship.

As executives begin to think about how Covid-19 might change their organization for the better—leaders have their sights set on digital health innovation. And hospitals and health systems aren’t alone, prospective startup and emerging competitors are all looking to this moment as one that can accelerate the adoption of digital health innovation. Rae sits down with Tom Cassels and Megan Zweig of Rock Health to talk about the state of digital disruption in the health care industry and what’s to come. More resources: Amidst a record $3.1B funding in Q1 2020, digital health braces for COVID-19 impact COVID-19 constraints push healthcare organizations to innovate around the consumer Innovation beyond COVID-19: A call to action in healthcare’s new world order The state of gender equity at healthcare startups and VCs in 2019 Rock Weekly (email newsletter) Get in touch with Rock Health

Covid-19 is stressful. Craig welcomes Dr. Bill Lynagh, a former Peace Corps volunteer and family medicine physician who focuses on clinician engagement and performance improvement. Craig and Bill discuss how to consciously manage your response to stress and develop habits that enhance your resilience. Equip your rising executives with the leadership and business skills they need to navigate the complexity of health care, solve difficult challenges and achieve breakthrough performance. Learn more about the Advisory Board Fellowship.

After the tragic death of George Floyd, frustration about inequality and injustice is boiling over in communities across the country. The heat-of-the moment concern about police violence has sparked a needed conversation about racial injustice. On this episode of Radio Advisory, Rae sits down with inclusion leader and head of workforce research Micha’le Simmons and health equity researcher Darby Sullivan. Together, they discuss the impact that racism and police violence has on health equity—and the vital role that healthcare leaders play in combating structural racism. More resources: For the organizational leadership: Addressing racism: Resources for health care leaders | Advisory Board U.S. businesses must take meaningful action against racism | Harvard Business Review 3 steps hospital leaders can take to mitigate the racial impact of Covid-19 | Advisory Board Police brutality must stop | American Medical Association Education about institutional/structural racism: 1619 | The New York Times A people’s history of the United States | Howard Zinn (book) The criminal justice system: Police: sixth-leading cause of death for young black men | University of Michigan The New Jim Crow: Mass incarceration in the age of colorblindness | Michelle Alexander 13th | Ava DuVernay (documentary) Health care and medical racism: How we fail black patients in pain | AAMC Black mothers keep dying after giving Birth. Shalon Irving's story explains why | NPR

Rebecca (Bec) Richmond dials into Radio Advisory from London to compare international response models to the coronavirus pandemic. Together, Rae and Bec dissect why some countries have been more successful than others at using predictive modeling to prevent the spread of the pandemic, weighing factors like history handling other viral pandemics (e.g. H1N1 or SARS) and preparation time. As world leaders collectively work on developing “circuit breaker” plans in order to control future waves of Covid-19 as they come down the pipe, health systems are simultaneously adjusting their strategy and trying to lock in crisis-driven innovation. More resources: Global edition: Coronavirus scenario planning guide

Uncertainty is here to stay. Craig Pirner talks with Jim Veronesi and Karen Sulek, two fellow faculty members who are experienced in helping leaders navigate uncertainty. Tune in for insights on how to reframe and lead through uncertainty. Equip your rising executives with the leadership and business skills they need to navigate the complexity of health care, solve difficult challenges and achieve breakthrough performance. Learn more about the Advisory Board Fellowship.

Covid-19 has made the US health care system top-of-mind for millions of Americans and is surely changing how they perceive the industry and its various segments. Amid all of this change, it’s essential to ask: Who will gain and lose in perception? And what lasting impact will this change truly have? Christopher Kerns shares Advisory Board’s analysis of public polling and media coverage and describes how Covid-19 can shift public perception now and in the future. More resources: 10 takeaways: What health systems must consider as they mull reopening