Posts

New Book Release: Monday, April 7, 2025

-
Image
  Dr. Emrick's Books, Blogs, and Podcasts   Introduction   As a healthcare leader and advocate, I’ve spent my career helping healthcare systems ask better questions, improve patient outcomes, and strengthen bridges between care and community. This guide results from that journey, and I’m honored to share it with you. If you’ve ever watched a patient come back through your emergency room doors for the third time in a month, you’ve probably asked yourself: What are we missing? You may have discharged them with clear instructions, prescribed the right medications, and followed the proper protocol. And yet, they returned, not because of a failure in clinical care, but because their lives outside the hospital never improved. No ride to the pharmacy. No safe place to sleep. No one to call when their symptoms worsened. This is where healthcare breaks down—and where population health begins. At its core, population health isn’t about treating more patients more efficiently. It’s ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Population Health Works

-
Image
  Dr. Emrick's Books, Blogs, and Podcasts Population Health Works Imagine juggling doctor's appointments, managing health conditions, and worrying about how you'll afford groceries or if your housing situation is stable. For many in the Bronx, this isn't imaginary – it's a daily reality. But thanks to an inspiring program at Montefiore, a helping hand is reaching out right where it's needed most. Meet the Community Health Worker Institute (CHWI), born in 2021 out of a simple, powerful idea: What if trusted neighbors could help bridge the gap between medical care and the everyday challenges that impact health? Since then, this initiative has touched the lives of over 10,000 Bronx families, bringing healthcare support, hope, and practical help. At the heart of CHWI are the Community Health Workers (CHWs) themselves. These aren't just employees; they are often residents of the very communities they serve. They  get  the local challenges because they've like...
Post a Comment
Read more

Escalating Financial Barriers to Healthcare Access

-
Image
  Dr. Emrick's Books, Blogs, and Podcasts Recent data indicate a significant increase in the proportion of U.S. adults facing severe financial barriers to accessing necessary healthcare and medicine, categorized as "Cost Desperate." Findings from the West Health-Gallup Healthcare Indices Study reveal that 11% of U.S. adults, representing approximately 29 million individuals, met this classification in late 2024, the highest level recorded since the index's inception in 2021. This trend is marked by rapidly widening disparities along racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic lines. Notably, the prevalence of cost desperation has increased substantially among Hispanic and Black populations and lower-income households while remaining stable among White adults and higher-income groups, exacerbating existing inequities in healthcare access and affordability. Healthcare affordability and access remain critical public health issues in the United States. The report analyzes trends in...
Post a Comment
Read more