Off the Charts: Examining the Health Equity Emergency

It’s possible for patients to receive hospital-level care inside their homes. HealthPartners Hospital@Home director Tia Radant and medical director Dr. Chrisanne Timpe talk about the program’s evolution as “the virtual unit,” which types of patients are ideal candidates for getting acute care at home, and the role community paramedics and other care team members play in treating patients.

Producer's note: In this episode, Dr. Chrisanne Timpe says, "The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services collected data for about three years on how these programs were doing nationally. And in that data with tens of thousands of patients, when they compared Hospital@Home groups to equally matched in brick and mortar treated groups, they showed that, for several diagnoses, there were reduced readmissions. But most importantly for somebody like me, there is a 20% chance of ending up needing a skilled nursing facility after hospitalization for frail elders for people who are in the brick and mortar, compared to 2.5%." The correct number is even lower: 1.2% for people in Hospital@Home, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Hosts: Kari Haley, MD, and Steven Jackson, MD

Guests: Tia Radant and Dr. Chrisanne Timpe

HealthPartners website: Off the Charts podcast

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Growing Through Grief is a school-based grief support and crisis management program supported by the Park Nicollet Foundation that provides children with peer support groups, individual counseling, and death-related crisis response after they’ve experienced the loss of a loved one.

Nicole Barnes, Growing Through Grief program manager, and Judy Brown, Minneapolis Public Schools mental health manager, outline the prevalence of childhood bereavement and share the C.A.R.E.S. (community, awareness, resiliency, empathy and strength) support group model. The episode will highlight how the partnership between health care and education systems brings additional resources to schools that share education and renewal practices with students that bring hope and healing.

Hosts: Kari Haley, MD, and Steven Jackson, MD

Guests: Nicole Barnes and Judy Brown

HealthPartners website: Off the Charts podcast

Got an idea? Have thoughts to share? We want to hear from you. Email us at [email protected].

NOTE TO LISTENERS: Technical difficulties affected some of the audio on this episode.

Historically, there hasn’t been a lot of diversity in firefighting and emergency medical services. Seeing is believing, and two graduates of the St. Paul Fire Department’s EMS Academy Pathways program, which provides tuition-free emergency medical technician certification, share the impact representation has had on them.

In the final episode of Season 1, Josh Garubanda, a firefighter-paramedic, and Nela Kurtic, a paramedic, discuss cultural barriers, the challenges of cultural nuances, navigating differences with their peers, and connecting with the communities they serve. Off the Charts will return soon with Season 2.

Hosts: Kari Haley, MD, and Steven Jackson, MD

Guests: Josh Garubanda and Nela Kurtic

HealthPartners website: Off the Charts podcast

Got an idea? Have thoughts to share? We want to hear from you. Email us at [email protected].

HealthPartners is committed to creating spaces where everyone feels welcome, included and valued. As part of that commitment, Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, is proud to host the George Floyd Memorial Art Exhibit, “I Am Not You. You Are Not Me. Healing Begins with Acceptance.” The exhibit, displayed from Jan. 6 through March 4, showcases more than 100 pieces of art and offerings left at George Floyd Square near the intersection of East 38th Street and Chicago Avenue South in Minneapolis by people from around the world.

On this special episode and premiere of the third season, Jeanelle Austin, executive director of George Floyd Global Memorial, and Methodist President Jennifer Myster share how and why the exhibit came to the hospital, racism’s connection to health and the importance of curiosity as part of the journey to expanding our perspectives.

The exhibit is made possible by the partnership of the George Floyd Global Memorial and Park Nicollet Foundation.

Hosts: Kari Haley, MD, and Steven Jackson, MD

Guests: Jeanelle Austin and Jennifer Myster

HealthPartners website: Off the Charts podcast

Got an idea? Have thoughts to share? We want to hear from you. Email us at [email protected].

Munira MaalimIsaq remembers how difficult navigating the health care system was for her family after they moved to the U.S. from Somalia when she was 9 years old. Since then, she has wanted to help others in a similar position and give back to her community. Asking people what they need and providing education have been her keys to connection.

MaalimIsaq, a nurse practitioner at HealthPartners Clinic Maplewood and former telemetry nurse at Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital, shares how she was able to help and serve members of the Somali community by dispelling COVID-19 myths, providing vaccines, and establishing a support group at mosques for those struggling with alcohol addiction.

Hosts: Kari Haley, MD, and Steven Jackson, MD

Guest: Munira MaalimIsaq, FNP (family nurse practitioner)

HealthPartners website: Off the Charts podcast

Got an idea? Have thoughts to share? We want to hear from you. Email us at [email protected].