Today's episode is one of four that focuses on integrating peer recovery specialists into primary care. In this first episode, guests Charmaine Robertson and Chris Slone from Crossing Healthcare discuss the steps Crossing took to integrate peer recovery specialists into their current SUD services. They also touch on how they fund their current peer recovery services.

Yash Patel from Pillars Community Health Care has a unique background as an engineering candidate working at a health center. We discussed process improvement, EMRs, addressing care gaps, and how different perspectives on quality initiatives can improve patient outcomes.

We speak with Dr. Anthony Schalf from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) about preventative medicine. Preventive Medicine is a medical specialty focused on assessing and promoting the health of populations. Whether it’s called public health, community health, or population health, the idea is a focus on the health outcomes within a defined population, not just an individual patient. Join us to learn more about how FQHCs can work with Preventive Medicine trained providers.

In part 2 of our season 2 premiere, we talk about improving food access, income inequality, access to healthcare, housing, and transportation with Lacey Johnson of Erie Family Health Centers. We dive into strategies and programs that improve the quality of public health in Illinois.

Resources Mentioned:
- LISC – Organization that funds Uber Health at Erie: https://www.lisc.org/chicago/
- Northern IL Food Bank: https://solvehungertoday.org/- Erie’s research page: https://www.eriefamilyhealth.org/research/#sdoh

In the season 2 premiere, we discuss the social determinants of health, such as food access, income inequality, access to healthcare, housing, and transportation with Lacey Johnson of Erie Family Health Centers. We dive into strategies and programs that improve the quality of public health in Illinois.

Resources Mentioned:
- LISC – Organization that funds Uber Health at Erie: https://www.lisc.org/chicago/
- Northern IL Food Bank: https://solvehungertoday.org/- Erie’s research page: https://www.eriefamilyhealth.org/research/#sdoh

Triste Smith, Chief Strategy Officer for Near North Health, gives an overview of their employee engagement program, “Joy@Work”, and explains the importance of “joy” to the program. Triste discusses the importance of employee feedback to a successful engagement program and shares some advice for other health centers who might want to launch a similar program.

Molly Robey, Director of Employee Experience and Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Officer at Chestnut Health Systems joins IPHCA Health Talks to discuss their FQHC’s robust employee wellness program. Drawing from her experience with the program rollout, she shares advice for getting started, encouraging employee participation, measuring progress, and more.

Matt Bennett describes himself as a “relentless advocate for trauma-informed care and other interventions that help people and communities heal.” Matt’s research and trainings acknowledge that healthcare professionals are at risk of experiencing issues that mirror those of the people they serve. Matt joins IPHCA Health Talks to explain the importance of prioritizing self-care in order to be the best possible employee, colleague, and friend. He also shares some ways that he is being proactive about self-care and workplace wellness.

“Burnout” is a big buzzword in today’s healthcare industry. In this episode, Amanda Brooks, LCSW, CADC joins to discuss burnout, how she defines burnout, and why organizations and organizational leaders should care about burnout. She gives some advice and actionable tips for preventing and addressing burnout among employees, as well as some suggestions to help individuals, especially in the healthcare industry, prioritize self-care in a challenging field.

We’re joined by Warren Johnson, CEO, and Huzefa Dossaji from Scribe-X. Listen and learn about how Scribe-X transforms practices across the country by using a model that pairs physicians with highly trained scribes. They build high-performing medical scribe programs that enable health centers and clinics to reduce provider burnout, while increasing revenue and reducing documentation burdens.

IPHCA members can talk to Scribe-X at their exhibitor booth during our annual leadership conference on Oct 5-7. Register here: https://www.iphca.org/annual-leadership-conference/