Social Determinants

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GLP-1s Alone Are Not the Answer to America’s Obesity and Chronic Illness Crises

Obesity/overweight is a significant causal factor in chronic illness and cancer. Weight loss can help people with obesity/overweight avoid and/or manage chronic illness. GLP-1s cause weight loss. So, are GLP-1s the answer to America’s obesity and chronic illness crises? Not if we overlook a key problem at the heart of both challenges: lack of access to nutritious food in the land of plenty.

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Health Tech

AWS to Infuse Another $20M Into Its Health Equity Program

AWS is funneling an additional $20 million into its health equity initiative, bringing the company’s total investment in the program to $60 million. As AWS continues to advance the mission of this program, the company is focusing on three main priorities: increasing access to high quality care, building resilient communities, and mitigating the harmful effects of climate change.

Health Tech

Health2047 CEO: As Tech Advances, the Power of Community Engagement Can’t Be Forgotten

In an interview last week, Larry Cohen — CEO of Health 2047, the American Medical Association’s venture studio — noted that digital health programs have proven to do a good job of improving patient outcomes — but only for certain groups. As technology continues to advance, he urged healthcare leaders not to underestimate the effectiveness of engaging patients by having boots on the ground.

Health Tech

Why One CEO Thinks Drugs Won’t Be Able to Solve the Obesity Crisis

New research found that there are no racial disparities in weight loss results among patients taking obesity drugs. However, the study found that people of color have less access to services like behavioral care or surgical interventions, which are often needed in order for patients to lose weight and keep it off. To tackle this issue, Enara Health CEO Rami Bailony argued that the U.S. healthcare system must innovate the way it dispenses weight loss drugs, employing a more holistic care approach.

Health Tech

How to Ensure Health Equity Isn’t Just a Buzzword

Some healthcare organizations have reduced health equity to a buzzword, using the phrase superficially without a true commitment to dismantling systemic barriers. During a webinar, two industry leaders — AMA President Jesse Ehrenfeld and Emory Healthcare Chief Transformation Officer Amaka Eneanya — discussed why this approach must be avoided and explored how leaders can do better.