Disruption and opportunity: Harnessing technology to address health disparities and achieve equity
Abstract
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues unabated, it is reshaping the fabric of the US healthcare system and shifting the ways in which consumers and patients seek care and treatment. The ongoing public health crisis has laid bare fault lines in the healthcare system and highlighted socioeconomic and racial divides that have been prevalent but ignored by many for decades. As with many crises, the pandemic presents both disruption and opportunity. This paper outlines opportunities for healthcare leaders to leverage technology to create robust platforms for virtual care, take tangible action steps to advance virtual care for a more inclusive patient experience and tackle the drivers of health disparities by revitalising organisational diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
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Author's Biography
Ginger L. Pilgrim Ginger Pilgrim is a Principal in the Health Industries Advisory practice of PwC based in Memphis, Tennessee. She joined the firm in 2004 and is focused on strategic transformation and operational performance improvement in the healthcare provider space. She leads PwC’s Provider Supply Chain Operations efforts. She has over 25 years of experience in healthcare, including public accounting, as well as more than 10 years within the finance division at a major academic medical centre. She has led efforts to achieve operational efficiencies, rationalise service levels and transform delivery of administrative and support services at large health systems and academic medical centres. Her experience includes large-scale project management, operations and process improvement, systems implementation project support and strategy development. Additionally, she has contributed to the development of industry thought leadership through reporting on clinical workforce issues through PwC’s Health Research Institute as well as helping to shape innovative thinking around the business imperative to address health and social disparities. Ginger holds a bachelor of science in accounting from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She is a graduate of Leadership Memphis, a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Healthcare Financial Management Association.
Kiesha Mccurtis is a Director in the Health Industries Advisory practice of PwC based in California. She joined the firm in 2016 and specialises in helping health systems and hospitals build their business case and develop strategies for addressing social determinants of health. Kiesha has a broad range of enterprise strategy and clinical provider performance improvement experience ranging from strategy inception to design and implementation. She helps clients identify leading practices and innovative strategies from within and across sectors and industries to create best-in-class solutions. Her clients have included large health systems and integrated delivery networks, HIV/AIDS service organisations, Federally Qualified Health Centers and non-profit organisations. Kiesha holds a master of public health from Johns Hopkins University and a master of business administration from UCLA Anderson School of Management. She is a returned Peace Corps volunteer and a former Fulbright Fellow.
Citation
Pilgrim, Ginger L. and Mccurtis, Kiesha (2021, June 1). Disruption and opportunity: Harnessing technology to address health disparities and achieve equity. In the Management in Healthcare: A Peer-Reviewed Journal, Volume 5, Issue 4. https://doi.org/10.69554/VYZB4316.
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