Training Medical Residents to Properly Understand and Assess Health-Related Social Risk Factors w/ Chris Allen

Our host, Emily George, had the honor of having Chris Allen on Unlocking Accountable Care. Chris was the former CEO of Authority Health, based in Wayne County, Michigan – an organization that strives to meet the unmet health and social needs of communities by helping individuals enroll in insurance and navigate the health system. Chris also helped start a graduate medical education program embedded in underserved areas of Wayne County to ensure that medical providers have a clear understanding and appreciation for the health-related social risk factors of their patients.

In this podcast, Chris shares his passion for facilitating understanding of the ways in which “power of place” like an individual’s zip code, skin color, and/or socio-economic status determine individuals’ life expectancy and health outcomes. He discusses the history of redlining and other discriminatory policies that have had long-term negative outcomes, particularly for African Americans within the U.S. A champion of providing evidence-informed, equitable healthcare delivery, Chris has had hundreds of students enroll in his medical education program. Here, Chris explains why he tells residents that “if a patient is admitted to our hospital, we have failed.”