Voices of Healthcare Policy

In this episode, Dr. Christine Gabali discusses health literacy and its significance in promoting equitable health outcomes. Dr. Gabali is a director of Stanford R&DE's Stepping Stones to Success program (SSTS), an education, health, training, and career advancement program for Stanford students and faculty. At the Stanford University School of Medicine, she teaches “Literacy: A Fundamental Human Right Toward Health and Advocacy.” Prior, she served as a wellness instructor for the Health Improvement Program at Stanford University. Christine Gabali holds the position of President and Founder of the International Alliance in Service and Education (IASE), a non-profit organization implementing global health education and community medical programs for local and international institutions through global liaison and partnership. 

“If young people had a healthier start to their life, if they had access to better healthcare support, their circumstances could have been wildly different.”

In this episode, Emily Moore, a Senior Policy Analyst at Voices for Virginia’s Children, discusses recent barriers faced by youth populations in accessing healthcare, as well as the importance of medical resources in supporting underprivileged communities. We discuss how government interventions can level the playing field for children and families surrounding health equity. 

Emily Moore is the Senior Policy Analyst at Voices for Virginia’s Children. She leads policy and advocacy work in domains related to Social Determinants of Health, with a focus on health equity and family economic security. Emily has nearly a decade of experience serving Virginia’s children, youth, and families in a variety of social change work roles. She began her career providing direct support to families involved in child welfare, which radicalized her to shift her focus to systemic issues that limit opportunity for young people and families. Emily graduated magna cum laude from the University of Lynchburg with her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. She holds an Executive Certificate in Leadership from the Batten Leadership Institute at Hollins University and is a proud Divine Pod 9 alum of the Virginia Progressive Leadership Program through Virginia Civic Engagement Table.

Telehealth Policy features Ms. Amy Durbin, a Policy Advisor for the Center for Connected Health Policy. In this episode, we discuss the current state of telehealth policy, the advantage telehealth provides in mitigating healthcare disparities, and the future prospects of patient advocacy in the telehealth field. 

Amy Durbin is a Policy Advisor for the Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP), working on a variety of telehealth policy and legislative issues, including conducting policy research, reporting on telehealth policies and trends, as well as engaging with policymakers, providers, and patients. CCHP’s mission is to advance state and national telehealth policies that promote better systems of care and improved health outcomes, in addition to providing more equitable access to quality, affordable health care. Ms. Durbin also acts as Project Manager for the California Telehealth Policy Coalition, which is convened by CCHP, and consists of over 170 state and national entities dedicated to enhancing California’s leadership in telehealth policy. Previously, Ms. Durbin was a legislative advocate for the California Medical Association (CMA), lobbying on a number of health care issues, including health information technology and telehealth access. Prior to her tenure at CMA, Ms. Durbin worked in the California State Legislature. Ms. Durbin graduated from Chico State University with her bachelor’s degree in Political Science, and Sacramento State University with her Master’s in Public Policy and Administration.

Public policy advisor, Dr. Katherine Hempstead, discusses the current state of the health insurance marketplace and her role in guiding data accessibility to address health disparities. In this episode, you will hear about new initiatives promoting medical accessibility, the experience of a policy advisor in promoting public advocacy, and lastly, the constantly-evolving field of healthcare policy and where legislation might take us in the future. 

Katherine Hempstead currently serves as a senior policy advisor at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, where she advises federal and state policy discussions on improving healthcare equity. Prior to, she has served as the director of the Center for Health Statistics in the New Jersey Department of Health and has worked in a number of CDC surveillance projects. She has led New Jersey’s participation in the National Violent Death Reporting System, worked at New Jersey’s Office of the Attorney General, and served on the faculty at the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy. Dr. Hempstead graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree and PhD. 

Introduction to the Voices of Healthcare Policy Podcast. How can government initiatives work more effectively towards the direct needs of underprivileged communities?

In this show, I delve into the intersection of public policy and healthcare equity. Through insightful discussions with policy advisors, government officials, and patients from underserved communities, I highlight the successes and failures of healthcare policy in promoting accessibility. This podcast analyses the current state of healthcare initiatives and how they can continue to work towards the interests of both governments and communities.