Addressing Cultural Diversity and Health Equity in Healthcare

On The New Normal (S4:E4), hosted by Kent Dicks, CEO and Founder of Life 365, addresses cultural diversity and health equity in healthcare. To weigh in on the topic, Dicks invited three panelists: Andre Hughes, Dr. Stephen Shaya, and Dr. James Weinstein.

With their extensive experience forging new paths to end health disparities and improve care for individuals worldwide, they offered some valuable insights that could change how healthcare systems operate. When discussing cultural diversity and health equity in healthcare, Founder and Chairman of Big Heart Ventures, Andre Hughes, addresses that there's a misalignment of care and social needs.

Current healthcare systems favor certain populations. To address these concerns, Hughes states, “We must empower communities with the tools to help vulnerable populations (POC) change their circumstances." To accomplish this, the healthcare system needs innovation. Innovation such as Powered by Action. Powered by Action delivers culturally specific programs for diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease, and so much more.

So how do we get these tools to those in need? Hughes believes giving trusted advocates the power to onboard the people they work with and influence, will engage their members along the dimension of change that everyone wants. “The only thing that’s ever created lasting sustainable change is…thoughtful, committed people working together,” Stephen Shaya. Change doesn’t come from our ideas alone; therefore, it takes a village, and this discussion on cultural diversity and health equity in healthcare will bring about opportunities for needed collaboration and change.