Addressing the complex challenges within Medicaid and Medicare requires a holistic approach focused on data-driven solutions, workforce diversity, and an integrated system of care that prioritizes individual needs and promotes health equity.

In this episode, Ashley Gray, Vice President at Sirona Strategies, discusses the future of Medicaid, Medicare, and other government healthcare programs. She explores the sustainability of Medicaid, given rising healthcare costs and an aging population, emphasizing the need for increased support for home and community-based services.

Ashley talks about the complexities faced by dual eligibles and advocates for value-based payment models and managed care that are designed to provide more coordinated care. She explains the critical role of public health initiatives and interoperable health IT systems and the importance of having a diverse workforce that builds trust with the populations being served.

Finally, Ashley further emphasizes the need for data-driven policy changes, gathering more robust social determinants data to inform appropriate solutions, and highlights the urgent need to move beyond siloed programs.

Join us to learn how value-based payment models will help incentivize the delivery of quality care rather than quantity of care and to understand the future of government healthcare programs!

As Canada faces the realities of a rapidly aging population, groundbreaking collaborations like MEDTEQ+, AGE-WELL, and the envisAGE program are revolutionizing how we support older adults and caregivers through innovative health technologies.

In this episode of Straight Out of Health IT, host Christopher Kunney highlights conversations he had at the envisAGE 2024 forum, addressing the challenges of Canada’s aging population through innovation, collaboration, and equitable access to technology.

Annie-Kim Gilbert, CEO of MEDTEQ+, highlighted Canada’s rapidly aging population as a driving force behind the creation of the envisAGE program, a pan-Canadian initiative supported by federal and Quebec governments. MEDTEQ+ focuses on translating academic research from partners like AGE-WELL into commercialized innovations that directly benefit older Canadians. Annie-Kim emphasized the importance of collaboration across sectors to address the significant funding challenges that SMEs face in bringing health tech solutions to market. She stressed that MEDTEQ+ and its partners strive to create tools and products that address the complex needs of the aging population, ensuring they are tested and validated in real-world settings like community environments.

Sabrina Boutin, Vice President of MEDTEQ+ and Executive Director of envisAGE, described the initiative’s origins during the COVID-19 pandemic, which amplified the vulnerabilities of aging populations. Leveraging nearly two decades of expertise from MEDTEQ+ and AGE-WELL, Sabrina underscored the importance of uniting research, government, and private sectors to catalyze change in the aging and health tech ecosystem. She spoke of the program’s dual focus on fostering innovation through funding and collaboration while ensuring talent acquisition and community involvement. Sabrina emphasized that envisAGE aims to mobilize stakeholders to create impactful, scalable solutions that address global aging challenges, while also positioning Canada as a leader in health technology innovation.

Ron Beleno, Chair of AGE-WELL’s Older Adult and Caregiving Advisory Committee, focused on the vital role of caregivers and older adults in guiding innovation. He discussed AGE-WELL’s efforts to address aging-related stigma and ensure that technologies are not just innovative but practical and accessible. Ron emphasized the need for equitable access to AgeTech solutions and advocated for reframing aging as a natural and empowering journey. By involving diverse voices across Canada, the advisory committee provides essential feedback to shape research, policy, and innovations. He also highlighted the importance of storytelling to showcase how technology can enhance the quality of life, shifting the narrative from solving problems to enabling vibrant, community-centered aging.

Tune in to hear from visionary leaders Annie-Kim Gilbert, Sabrina Boutin, and Ron Beleno as they share insights on tackling aging-related challenges, fostering innovation, and shaping a brighter future for aging communities in Canada and beyond!

Burnout among healthcare professionals isn’t just a buzzword.

In this episode of Straight Out of Health IT, Dr. Maiysha Clairborne, a physician and transformational coach, shares her personal experience with burnout early in her career, which led her to shift from clinical medicine to helping healthcare professionals prevent and recover from burnout. She highlights burnout’s key characteristics: physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a sense of futility, where clinicians feel their efforts are never enough. Dr. Maiysha also stresses the role of psychological safety in addressing burnout, as a lack of safety creates stress and erodes trust.

The conversation explores the root causes of burnout, including overwhelming workloads, excessive charting without support, inequities in workplace culture, and the increasing demands of technology. While AI-powered scribes and telemedicine provide flexibility and innovation, they can also contribute to clinician stress when poorly implemented or unsupported. Dr. Maiysha notes that systemic issues, such as toxic workplace environments and organizational inequities, often leave clinicians feeling isolated, underappreciated, and unable to advocate for necessary changes.

Dr. Maiysha emphasizes the need for individual and organizational solutions to address burnout. On a personal level, clinicians must recognize burnout symptoms, identify primary stressors, and advocate for support and resources. From an organizational standpoint, leadership must prioritize psychological safety, listen to frontline workers, and take actionable steps to rebuild trust and support clinicians. Organizations can improve clinician well-being, reduce turnover, and ultimately enhance patient care by creating healthier environments and systems.

Tune in to learn about the root causes of clinician burnout, the role of psychological safety, and solutions to help healthcare professionals reclaim balance and purpose!