- —Health equity
- —Social drivers of health
- —Data-driven disparities reduction
- —Misinformation and disinformation
- —Climate change and climate resilience
- —Public health analytics
- —Cross-sector partnerships and investments

Community-Focused
Health
How do we confront systemic barriers to good health?

Exploring data-driven health equity strategies and scalable drivers of health approaches.
Our Community-Focused Health Focus Area features conversations about both scalable strategies to address social barriers to health and cross-industry approaches to advance health equity. Key questions include:
• How do we embed data foundations and evidence-based solutions to accelerate health equity?
• How do we scale and sustain the approaches that have proven successful in addressing drivers of health needs?
Community-Focused Health focus area includes, but is not limited to, the following topics:
Community-Focused Health Roundtables:
Scalable Drivers of Health Approaches
Sustaining successful methods of addressing social drivers of health.
LEARN MOREData-Driven Health Equity Strategies
Harnessing data and evidence to accelerate health equity.
LEARN MOREAdvancing equity in mental and behavioral health: Three ways to begin, according to top health care leaders
March 23, 2023The United States is grappling with a mental and behavioral health care
What to expect at the upcoming 2023 Health Evolution Summit
January 20, 2023Health Evolution is gearing up for Summit 2023, which will take place
Lessons learned in advancing equity: Maternal health
June 16, 2022Executives supporting the Health Equity Pledge virtually convened to share experiences and
The case for addressing climate change and health equity together
May 31, 2022At the 2022 Health Evolution Summit, CEOs shared lessons learned from sustainability
Here’s a glimpse inside the invitation-only Forum convening at the 2022 Health Evolution Summit
May 3, 2022CEOs and thought leaders shared perspectives on primary care, the future of
Working toward health equity in life sciences: An interview with Takeda’s Julie Kim
April 12, 2022Kim discusses being a woman of color in the C-suite, why choosing
‘Climate anxiety’ is on the rise. Here’s how leaders can address the mental health crisis
April 4, 2022Climate change is associated with an increase in behavioral health problems that
Update: Health Evolution Summit 2022 agenda
April 4, 2022Here are the overarching themes, latest programmatic additions to the Summit’s CEOs,
Why Strong Black Women need mental health care, too
March 31, 2022In this guest opinion piece, Nashville General CEO Joseph Webb considers data
The next critical step to advancing health equity? Improving data collection
March 23, 2022Health Evolution Fellows and executives on the front lines of advancing health
Lyft Healthcare executive on value-based care, ROI, and addressing social determinants of health
March 21, 2022Buck Poropatich discusses how the enterprise is helping to close gaps in
Providence Health Plan CEO on top three priorities for transforming health care
March 16, 2022Don Antonucci spoke with Health Evolution about the most critical tactics the
Executives share three tactics for helping underserved communities emerge from COVID-19
March 4, 2022Leaders serving vulnerable populations have learned areas of focus that can help
Guest column: Honoring Black History Month and Martin Luther King, Jr. with advocacy addressing inequalities in health care
February 23, 2022Nashville General CEO Joseph Webb calls on physicians, politicians, community and public
Early lessons learned: Intermountain transitioning its health at home model from a pandemic response into a long-term vision
February 23, 2022After assembling the program in a matter of weeks, the health system
What will it take to fix the U.S. mental health crisis? ‘A social movement’
February 16, 2022Tom Insel, former Director of the National Institute of Mental Health and
Walgreens CEO Roz Brewer on improving the patient care journey
February 9, 2022Brewer discusses her first year as chief executive of Walgreens Boots Alliance,
‘Talked over and interrupted’: Gender gap in health care leadership is problematic
February 3, 2022Health care’s gender gap is as wide as ever, as only 15%
Health Evolution expands Forum with new initiatives, partners and Fellows
February 2, 2022The Forum, a cross-industry collaboration of more than 200 CEOs and other
UI Health Chief Diversity and Community Health Equity Officer on strategies, tactics to advance equity
February 2, 2022Rani Morrison discusses her new role at the health system, reasons for
New venture fund Jumpstart Nova shines a light on Black founders in health care
January 25, 2022The firm’s founder and general partner Marcus Whitney spoke with Health Evolution
Blue Cross Blue Shield Association’s Kim Keck reflects on her first year as CEO
January 19, 2022Keck discusses her first year as CEO of BCBSA, advice for other
What to expect at the upcoming Health Evolution Summit 2022
January 12, 2022Health Evolution SVP Rob Lazerow discusses what will be different at this
Top 10 Health Evolution articles 2021
December 29, 2021Here are the executive interviews, stories, questions and ideas that resonated most
Health equity success begins with humility
December 15, 2021More health care organizations are investing in health equity initiatives. Those engaging
Uber Health’s Caitlin Donovan: Her first six months in charge, the Papa partnership and more
November 10, 2021Uber Health’s Caitlin Donovan on COVID exposed about transportation as a social
COP26: 5 things to know about the ‘climate-smart’ health care initiative
November 10, 2021The United States and 40 other nations committed to either reducing carbon
Why next-gen digital front doors require ‘breaking the incumbent attitude’
November 3, 2021Establishing digital tools as ways to interact with current and prospective consumers
Chris Chen on how surviving COVID-19 changed him as a CEO
November 1, 2021In this spotlight on Forum Fellows, Chen discusses his life-altering experience being
Staggering rate of health disparities drives need for industry-wide action on REaLS data
October 27, 2021More than 40 leading health care organizations have signed on to the
Data Dive: Poor data collection and review is preventing health equity progress
October 27, 2021This infographic outlines the industry’s challenge with using data to reduce health
SCAN Group and Health Plan CEO Sachin Jain on the art of the possible
October 27, 2021In this spotlight on Forum Fellows, Jain discusses the organization’s work to
Cross-industry coalition of health care organizations sign Health Equity Pledge to address disparities
October 26, 2021Signatories of the Pledge, created by Health Evolution Forum Fellows, are committing
Kaiser Permanente CEO Greg Adams on addressing health equity: ‘We can’t rest on our laurels’
October 20, 2021Greg A. Adams, CEO and Chairman of Kaiser Permanente and Mandy Cohen,
Forum – Health Equity Pledge Supporters
October 18, 2021Health Disparities – An Urgent Industry Challenge to Be Addressed Long-standing approaches
How climate change poses a threat to health equity
October 13, 2021Health care organizations face both obstacles and opportunities to change conditions for
Video: ONC’s Micky Tripathi on data’s role in addressing health inequality
October 13, 2021Micky Tripathi, PhD, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology and Greg Moore,
Vaccine mandate puts health care CEOs in a tough spot
October 6, 2021For many leaders within the health care industry, particularly those in rural
Why health care’s ‘hidden workforce’ is becoming a focal point for health plans
October 4, 2021Recent changes from Medicare and the aging Boomer population have increased the
Why one life sciences company is investing $100 million in a social impact fund
September 28, 2021Edwards Lifesciences has unveiled an initiative that aims to advance racial equity
HHS Asst. Secretary Rachel Levine: LGBTQ+ people are not invisible under the Biden-Harris Administration
September 22, 2021Levine says that health equity is a top priority of the Biden-Harris
Can genomics help address the cancer screening crisis?
September 20, 2021Fewer patients are getting screened for cancer as a result of the
Early lessons from CEOs who required vaccines before Biden’s mandate
September 15, 2021The CEOs of ChristianaCare, GuideWell & Florida Blue, Henry Ford, Jefferson Health,
Health Equity Roadmap: How CEOs can take a methodical approach to addressing health disparities
September 15, 2021Health Evolution Forum Fellows participating in the Work Group on Leveraging Data
COVID-19 is testing the Dartmouth Atlas hypothesis: An interview with Peter Orszag
September 8, 2021Orszag discusses the potential to learn from the decline in non-COVID-19 care
American Health Care Cities: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
August 16, 2021In the latest version of American Health Care Cities, we explore the
Two ‘fundamental shifts’ shaping primary care’s future
August 11, 2021Why it’s time to rethink the ways physicians engage consumers and accelerate
Public health experts to private sector executives: Delta variant a more dangerous threat to your business
August 5, 2021“You have a key role to play in our national quest to
Gun violence, innovation and CEOs’ role post-COVID: An Interview with Northwell’s Michael Dowling
August 4, 2021Dowling discusses his top three post-pandemic priorities, the patience and tenacity necessary
It’s simple: COVID vaccines are effective. Not as simple: Reaching the unvaccinated.
August 3, 2021How some health care leaders are successfully closing the vaccine equity gap
Update: The benefits of participating in the Health Evolution Virtual Summit 2021
July 28, 2021The in-person Summit is sold out, but virtual registrants can access all
Can health care executives solve the homeless problem? An interview with SCAN CEO Sachin Jain
July 21, 2021Jain discusses why homelessness is actually a health care crisis, SCAN Group’s
Placing value on diversity to advance health equity
July 13, 2021In this Confab Leaderships series installment, executives discuss the new mindset required
Top 10 articles of 2021 – so far
July 8, 2021From difficult conversations about racism and the experience of trauma to digital
Sutter Health executives outline ambitious goals for Institute for Advancing Health Equity
July 7, 2021After many years of health equity work, Sutter Health has formalized its
A Bon Secours housing project in Baltimore shows community health at work
June 30, 2021The community health housing project is thriving in West Baltimore, even after
How health care organizations can work to improve LGBTQ+ care
June 23, 2021Health care organizations need to do a better job in creating a
Why data needs to drive the transition to value-based care
June 23, 2021Executives who ‘own’ and leverage data can better understand cost centers, engage
Zing Health CEO Eric Whitaker on Medicare Advantage’s potential in reducing disparities
June 22, 2021Whitaker, who spent four years as the Director of the Illinois Department
CityMD founder Richard Park on improving care for Asian Americans in NYC
June 15, 2021With his latest venture, Rendr, the entrepreneur is working to apply the
Less talk, more action: Health care has a long way to go post George Floyd
June 10, 2021A year after the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent public
To advance health assurance in the workforce, start by focusing on equity
June 9, 2021In this Health Evolution Confab Leadership Series, executives discuss addressing systemic racism
Arkansas BCBS exec: Vaccine disparities come from a mistrust of the health care system
June 1, 2021When it comes to disparities in vaccine uptake among communities of color,
A look inside SCAN’s new Togetherness Program
May 26, 2021Chief Togetherness Officer Lisbeth Briones-Roberts discusses the organization’s new initiative to address
What to expect at the Health Evolution Summit 2021
May 26, 2021The hybrid in-person and virtual Summit 2021 will focus on resetting the
Creating a culture of diversity and inclusion
May 19, 2021In this Health Evolution Confab Leaderships Series video installment, Mandy Cohen, MD,
Trauma – The tyrannical time traveler
May 19, 2021Tosan O. Boyo, Senior Vice President of Hospital Operations at John Muir
The role contact tracing can play in building more resiliency into the health care system
May 19, 2021While the considerations of a contact tracing system are beginning to come
Managing executives who don’t recognize the value of diversity
May 12, 2021In this Health Evolution Confab Leaderships Series installment, CEOs discuss tactics for
With clinician burnout in the spotlight, ChristianaCare has operationalized work-life wellbeing
May 12, 2021With COVID pushing many clinicians to the brink, it’s more important than
From the frontlines of addressing inequity: ‘Health equity work is quality and safety work’
May 5, 2021Leveraging data to improve equity is critical to creating a more resilient
Health Evolution announces Confab 2022
April 21, 2021The in-person event will convene leaders to invigorate thinking and establish relationships
Walmart EVP describes how the retail giant is trying to help vaccinate America
April 14, 2021With a huge presence in medically underserved areas, Walmart has an important
Is the concept of ‘social determinants of health’ inhibiting progress toward equity?
April 14, 2021Despite positive intentions to understand social determinants for improving outcomes in underserved
For health care leaders, a fork-in-the-road moment in addressing health inequity
April 14, 2021Throughout day two of the Virtual Confab 2021, leaders examined how the
How health care leadership is evolving during the crises of 2020-2021
April 13, 2021Prominent leaders discuss how the pandemic has tested them by exposing longstanding
Real reasons to invest in empathy for health care leadership and the workforce
April 7, 2021Training for empathy can improve patient experience and outcomes, enhance the provider
Post COVID, Ascension is all in on ASCs, virtual care and agile working environments
April 7, 2021Health Evolution talked with Eduardo Conrado, chief strategy and innovation officer at
To tackle inequity, health care leaders must understand the populations they are serving
April 6, 2021Alice Hm Chen, CMO of Covered California, spoke with Health Evolution about
Data Dive: Transportation challenges plague dual-eligible Medicare and Medicaid patients
March 31, 2021Nearly half of dual-eligible Medicare and Medicaid patients are putting off appointments,
Why the U.S. needs to ‘stop omitting Asians as a population’ relative to racism and health inequity
March 24, 2021Instead, executives can lead work to address unique social determinants Asian-Americans face,
Can community health workers and empathy improve inequity and reduce disparities?
March 11, 2021In part two of our series on the future of the health
How CEOs are breaking down barriers to increase vaccine accessibility and uptake
March 3, 2021Chief executives are uniquely positioned to influence vaccine perception, distribution and equity
Driving diversity to bolster the bottom line: An interview with Amedisys Chairman and CEO Paul Kusserow
February 10, 2021Kusserow discusses transforming into a women-majority board, how diversifying has helped achieve
Why COVID-19 vaccine deployment has struggled
February 9, 2021Only 70 percent of vaccines that have been distributed have been administered.
Biden’s early action focuses on ACA, COVID-19, health equity
February 3, 2021In the initial weeks of the new administration, President Biden has focused
Lyft Healthcare exec shares strategy on COVID-19 vaccine access campaign
January 20, 2021Lyft Healthcare vice president, Megan Callahan spoke with Health Evolution about a
BCBS of Illinois exec on investing $100 million to reduce disparities of care
January 12, 2021Chief Medical Officer Derek Robinson, MD, discusses what the COVID-19 pandemic exposed
Lesser-known telehealth lessons and opportunities of 2020: An interview with Amwell’s Danielle Russella
December 16, 2020Amwell’s President of Strategic Partnerships discusses the doors that this year’s increased
Biden’s HHS secretary pick Xavier Becerra holds promise to reduce care disparities
December 8, 2020Becerra’s nomination, along with Biden’s choices for other prominent federal roles, signals
The politicization of vaccines and public health illustrates the depth of inequities
December 2, 2020In the midst of the worst pandemic in 100 years, trust in
Are CEOs obligated to address social determinants of health?
October 28, 2020The second in a two-part series focusing on how chief executives can
Advancing equity in health care begins with measuring racial and socioeconomic disparities
October 21, 2020The first in a two-part series focusing on how CEOs can lead
Women CEOs: Ruth Bader Ginsburg inspires us to advance equity
September 23, 2020Health care chief executives and other leaders discuss the need to continue
ACA, COVID-19’s impact on uninsured Americans: Two steps forward, one step back
September 22, 2020New data on uninsured rates illustrates that 6.7 million more people lost
Why CEOs should leverage value-based payments to increase resilience
September 16, 2020The first in a three-part series focusing on actions CEOs can lead
One health system adopts ride sharing to address social determinants of health
September 14, 2020After conducting a needs assessment under the ACA, Virtua Health instituted transportation
VillageMD’s CEO Tim Barry: “Our health care system is failing the citizens of the U.S.”
September 9, 2020Health Evolution talks with VillageMD CEO Tim Barry and CMO Clive Fields,
Health Evolution builds Work Groups to advance health equity
August 26, 2020The Forum initiatives will leverage data to reduce disparities, create scalable models
The trust factor: Why life sciences companies must go all in on SDOH
August 19, 2020Ramona Sequeira, President of Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A, talks with Health Evolution about
Health Evolution develops Work Groups to address new models of care delivery
August 12, 2020Forum groups to focus on value-based payments, reinventing primary care, and advancing
How health care CEOs can take the lead on safer education this fall
August 12, 2020Health executives are in a position to inform education leaders about safety
Addressing racism as a social determinant of health
August 5, 2020Executives discuss the importance of taking the lead in tackling inequities within
Taking on social determinants of health in the COVID era
July 29, 2020COVID-19 has further exposed the country’s massive health disparities. That’s why health
Biden’s health care plan: 5 things to know
July 22, 2020Former Vice President Joe Biden and the Democrats outlined proposals to disrupt
Health Evolution announces Innovation Lab
July 2, 2020The new content offerings will help provider, payer and life science CEOs
CEOs explain how to help physician practices navigate the COVID-19 crisis
July 2, 2020AMA’s Patrice Harris, athenahealth’s Bob Segert, ChristianaCare’s Janice Nevin and Marshfield Clinic’s
5 data lessons of COVID-19
June 25, 2020The pandemic has illustrated the challenges and opportunities the U.S. health care
The 20 rural areas most vulnerable to COVID-19
June 19, 2020New analysis from the Surgo Foundation reveals a list of 20 rural
CommonSpirit CEO Lloyd Dean on social disparities, COVID
June 15, 2020Health Evolution interviewed CommonSpirit Health CEO Lloyd Dean on the racial inequalities
The multiple worlds of Black health workers
June 10, 2020Zuckerberg San Francisco General COO Tosan O. Boyo shares his account of
How COVID-19 has taken a toll on primary care
June 10, 2020In part 1 of a two-part series, we discuss with a panel
AMA’s Patrice Harris on health care’s double crisis: COVID-19 and clinician burnout
June 1, 2020AMA President Patrice Harris, MD, talks with Health Evolution about how health
Supporting COVID-19’s mental health crisis for frontline providers
May 26, 2020The mental health toll of this pandemic will linger well beyond the
As states reopen, CEOs and #OpenSafely initiative emphasizes safety protocols and messaging
May 21, 2020Health care thought leaders outline measures to help communities reopen states from
How CEOs are supporting frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic
May 4, 2020Grocery stores, hotels, and compassion crews. CEOs are doing whatever it takes
Health care leaders share biggest fears, hopes amid COVID-19
April 3, 2020CEOs and stakeholders from government, provider, payer and life science organizations shared
Health care executives put aside competitive differences to fight back COVID-19
March 24, 2020In Washington State, New York City and points between, health system leaders
HSS CEO Lou Shapiro on reallocating 85% of resources to battle COVID-19
March 23, 2020The Hospital for Special Surgery chief executive discusses suspending non-essential care to
COVID-19: ICU bed shortages will create an ethical dilemma
March 20, 2020A doctor in Switzerland, which as of Thursday had 160 ICU beds
With COVID-19 patients expected to fill ICU beds to capacity, CEOs should anticipate these questions
March 18, 2020Here are five specific questions health care leaders will likely have to
CEOs are divided on speaking out in polarizing times
February 24, 2020A recent survey found that 92 percent of employees say CEOs should
Rural hospitals are facing more closures than ever
February 21, 2020New data reveals that 2019 saw a record-setting number of rural hospital
Innovating care delivery with ‘radical common sense’: An interview with CareMore CEO Sachin Jain
February 11, 2020Jain discusses new models contrarian to equal care for all, emerging hospital
ProMedica CEO on evolving beyond the hospital and finding commonalities in China
February 4, 2020ProMedica CEO Randy Oostra and Kathleen Krueger, President of ProMedica International, chatted
Moving from ‘heads in beds’ to population health: An interview with Premier CEO Susan DeVore
January 27, 2020DeVore discusses the changing mindset required to transform health care.
Building a community-based academic medical center: An interview with Cedars Sinai CEO Tom Priselac
January 20, 2020Priselac discusses key elements of success in the once-controversial expansion of the
Top CEO priorities for the next 3-5 years
January 13, 2020From AI to value-based payments, health care executives discuss their most critical
Gender disparities in leadership: What health care CEOs are doing to turn the tide
December 16, 2019Women make up the majority of the industry's workforce but only a
BCBS Rhode Island’s joint venture with primary care: An interview with CEO Kim Keck
December 10, 2019The payer joined forces with Oak Street Health approximately a year ago
Entrepreneurial health care CEOs are finding inspiration abroad
November 18, 2019Academic researchers suggest that innovation from other countries could cut care delivery
Health care’s role in improving the local economy: An interview with Carilion Clinic CEO Nancy Howell Agee
November 12, 2019Agee discusses how becoming an integrated delivery network set the stage for
The data-driven vision: An interview with ChristianaCare CEO Janice Nevin
October 31, 2019Nevin on access, affordability, digital transformation and the organization’s evolution of core
Q&A: David Shulkin on the VA’s ‘superpower’
October 21, 2019Former VA Secretary discusses public service, lessons he learned at the department,
Coordinating community resources is key to changing social determinants
April 20, 2019The social determinants of health—factors like access (or lack of it) to
Social determinants lesson #1: Providers must listen
April 19, 2019When Mandy Cohen, MD, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health
A pilot program improves outcomes by connecting care to housing needs
April 10, 2019At a Health Evolution Summit discussion, Diane Holder shares a successful pilot
Achieving diversity: Unraveling the unconscious bias
March 30, 2019In a video interview, WellCare Health Plans CEO Ken Burdick shares the
Progress in addressing the needs of Medicaid and ‘dual-eligible’ patients
March 28, 2019A ‘thrive screen’ is helping Boston Medical Center make more informed decisions
New initiatives take on the social obstacles to health
March 13, 2019Policy changes are necessary to support substantive change but in the current
Addressing the social determinants of health: Connecting patients with community resources
March 1, 2019The connection between social factors and the cost of healthcare has been