Where: Webinar
Cost: No charge

Disparities in health and healthcare by race, ethnicity, language, and socioeconomic status are an ongoing dilemma in our country. A recent report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) found that while some inequalities have diminished, “disparities persist and some even worsened, especially for poor and uninsured populations.”
The digital divide disproportionately affects the elderly as well as low-income and minority households. This means that marginalized populations are missing out on telehealth, patient portals, online vaccine scheduling, and other digital health opportunities.

Technology holds the promise of helping patients navigate their healthcare journeys, elevating the experience of care, and facilitating access to care for all. As professionals in health IT, we are in a unique role to reduce the chasm between people with access to technology and those without.

In this exclusive HIMSS Arizona Chapter webinar panel, we will be joined by leading healthcare experts who are influencing their organizations and the industry with game changing approaches to inclusion. Join us on Thursday, Nov. 17 at noon PDT for an insightful discussion on their vision, strategies and approach to tackling this challenge.

Panelists:

Dru Bhattacharya, Chief of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, Banner Health
Ann Torkelson, Human Resources, Mayo Clinic
Dr. Edmond Baker, Medical Director, Equality Health

Moderator:

Rebecca Clyde, VP Education, HIMSS AZ

Dru Bhattacharya, Chief of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, Banner Health

Dru Bhattacharya, JD, MPH, LLM, EMBA(c) is the Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer at Banner Health, the largest private employer in Arizona with over 50,000 employees at 30 acute-care hospitals and a number of other health care entities. Dru is an interdisciplinary scientist, scholar, and health system leader with a background in clinical epidemiology, health law, public health, and diversity and inclusion. As the former VP of DE&I at Advocate Aurora Health, he oversaw the divisions of civil rights and language services, and worked closely with the departments of population health, human resources, and community health and relations to advance health equity among patients, team members, and communities. With clinical partners, he developed the COVID-19 dashboard that tracked disparities across race, ethnicity, and geography during the initial stage of the pandemic; oversaw the establishment of 55 flu clinics as part of initial mitigation efforts; and co-led the system Patient Prioritization Team that established criteria to identify eligible populations for receipt of scarce vaccines and deployment to vulnerable populations. With human resources, he facilitated RealTalk sessions to address team members’ vulnerabilities; helped revise the Code of Conduct; deployed microaggression and unconscious bias training; designed team member well-being and development initiatives; and created the system Policy Core Team to successfully review over 35 system policies to help team members advance DE&I. As the new Chief DE&I Officer at Banner, he has developed the system’s new DE&I strategic plan to promote patient care, improve team member dynamics, and strengthen community partnerships. He has published books on population health, and continues to speak with professional associations and university faculty and researchers on the intersection of DE&I with health Equity.
 

Ann Torkelson, Human Resources, Mayo Clinic

Ann Torkelson is passionate about helping organizations realize their vision and mission through its workforce.  With an HR career spanning more than twenty years and crossing multiple HR disciplines, she offers a unique perspective to achieve this goal.  Currently, Ann is leading the implementation of the human capital modules for Mayo Clinic’s next ERP.  This significant project presents unique and exciting opportunities to design for our current and future needs related to diversity and inclusion. 

Dr. Edmond Baker, Medical Director, Equality Health

Edmond L. Baker Jr., M.D., is the current medical director for Equality Care Centers. Dr. Baker took a nontraditional journey to medicine. After serving in the U.S. Army, he began a
career at DuPont. After 15 years, he left his job to pursue his dream of medicine. Dr. Baker received his undergraduate degree from Temple University and his medical doctorate
from University of Michigan Medical School. He obtained his postgraduate training at University of Michigan, the Phoenix Integrated Residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology Program and
Lahey Hospital & Medical Center (formerly Lahey Clinic). Dr. Baker is married and the father of three sons. He remains heavily involved in the African
American community here in Phoenix.