Special Coverage from the AHA鈥檚 Association for Community Health Improvement Conference
Health care workers who face the complexities of working with big data and population health must remain vigilant to potential public health threats and continue to reach across the aisle to fight injustice, Mona Hanna-Attisha, M.D., a pediatrician, professor and public health advocate who exposed the lead-contaminated water crisis in Flint, Mich., said during the opening keynote on day two of the AHA鈥檚 Association for Community Health Improvement鈥檚 National Conference.
鈥淲hat do your numbers mean?鈥 she asked. 鈥淲hat will you risk for them? How loud will your voice be? Who will add their voice to your voice?鈥
Hanna-Attisha reminded attendees that 鈥渮ip codes [are] more powerful than genetic codes鈥 and commended the health care community for its impact on the social determinants of health. 鈥淲e are working upstream on the bigger things that all people need to be healthy,鈥 she said.
Throughout the day, more than 700 health care leaders participated in breakout sessions on population health and its social determinants, clinical-community connections and innovation.
One of today鈥檚 sessions featured a presentation by Arturo Carrillo, manager of mental health and family support at the Community Wellness Program of Saint Anthony Hospital in Chicago. He spoke about the development of distinct, community-centered models to address violence and trauma in order to promote holistic wellness to individuals and families, as well as how the CWP offers a range of free social services to uninsured and underinsured community residents through its community resource centers. Carrillo also was a guest on AHA鈥檚 Advancing Health podcast where he talked about Saint Anthony Hospital鈥檚 efforts to improve mental health access in high economic hardship communities. Listen to the podcast .
Indu Subaiya, M.D., co-founder of health care technology platform Health 2.0, wrapped up the day's program by offering attendees insight into how innovation and technology can advance community health and equity.
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