June 2021 | Volume 1
MOVING INTELLIGENT CHANGE FORWARD
INNOVATION DIGEST
Things we learned from COVID that are key to transforming healthcare:

  • Everyone needs access to care that is affordable and available where they are
  • Science and public health are critical components of our health system
  • Frontline healthcare workers are the most essential actors - we have to build the workforce and support their health and success
  • Transparency of data is critical
  • Clinical research must represent the population in order to yield information applicable to treating all
  • Care must be whole-health focused, delivered by teams, and utilize all forms of delivery (even apps and virtual!)

We’re now entering a phase of opportunity to apply such knowledge. It’s an exciting proposition if we can sustain the momentum. Science, practice and policy must come together to ensure that no one is left behind.
New Commission To Tackle How National Health Data Are Collected, Shared, And Used
COVID-19 has shown us once again that wealth, racism, and privilege play an outsized role in how long and how well people live. Philanthropy has long sought to address the confluence of factors that drive these inequities, but many of us who spend our lives focused on health and equity were surprised by the dearth and limited quality of the data we’ve had to track those most affected by the pandemic.
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A new tool tracks health disparities in the U.S. — and highlights major data gaps
Over and over, the pandemic has reinforced the reality of racial disparities in the U.S. health system. But that story remains difficult to see in the data, which is still inconsistently collected and reported across the country.
On Wednesday, a coalition of researchers and advocates launched a tool they hope will fill some of those gaps: the Health Equity Tracker, a portal that collects, analyzes, and makes visible data on some of the inequities entrenched in U.S. medicine.
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The 60-Year-Old Scientific Screwup That Helped Covid Kill
EARLY ONE MORNING, Linsey Marr tiptoed to her dining room table, slipped on a headset, and fired up Zoom. On her computer screen, dozens of familiar faces began to appear. She also saw a few people she didn’t know, including Maria Van Kerkhove, the World Health Organization’s technical lead for Covid-19, and other expert advisers to the WHO.
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More than just a step tracker, smartwatches can predict blood test results and infections, study finds
The smartwatch on your wrist already reminds you to get more steps in throughout the day, alerts you to new emails and even takes regular pulse readings. But its insights aren’t only skin-deep: According to the results of a long-term study, physical data collected by wearables can be directly linked to physiological changes typically diagnosed through clinical testing.
When Your Job Harms Your Mental Health 
Haven’t we all been Naomi Osaka at some point in our lives?
OK, we may never know what it’s like to be the second-ranked woman in tennis, or the world’s highest-paid female athlete.
But like the sports star, many of us have been stuck in situations that were detrimental to our mental health — at work or in our personal lives — feeling torn between societal expectations and self-preservation.
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Five Keys To Realizing Health Equity In US Health Plans
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to widen existing health and health care disparities in the United States, the attainment of health equity looms large and is arguably our most pressing national priority to curb the pandemic. Social and economic vulnerabilities that have long preceded COVID-19 have perpetuated staggering challenges.
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Why health tech companies are investing so heavily in care teams
Kristen Campbell often felt like she was treating patients without all the pieces of the puzzle in front of her. As a clinical dietician at a large medical center, she usually had 15 minutes to run through their medical history and squeeze in a new diet and exercise plan. It was only after taking a job with a virtual diabetes company — and joining a larger team of providers for patients — that she felt like she could see the whole picture.
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Expanding Insurance Coverage Is Top Priority for New Medicare-Medicaid Chief 
The new head of the federal agency that oversees health benefits for nearly 150 million Americans and $1 trillion in federal spending said in one of her first interviews that her top priorities will be broadening insurance coverage and ensuring health equity.
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Passion + Quality = Change That Matters
  
I embrace the powerful opportunities in our evolving health care landscape. I founded Momentum Health Strategies to be a catalyst for change through continuous learning, diverse engagement and thoughtful policy and practice initiatives. I deliver innovative, strategic thinking and a passion for improving the patient experience. My personal drive and dedication to high-quality results will help you navigate the competitive terrain you face and convert your vision to action.

Momentum Health Strategies

Jennifer L Bright, MPA
(703) 628 - 0534
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