This panel discussion focused on the CMS 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule and its impact on primary care. Key points included the cautious optimism about the rule's potential benefits, such as expanded behavioral health integration and telemedicine enhancements. Concerns were raised about the sustainability of financial bumps and the need for comprehensive payment models. The panel emphasized the importance of community care hubs, caregiver support, and technology integration. They also highlighted the need for transparency in ACO payments and the challenges faced by small, independent practices in adapting to these changes.

Growing evidence suggests that increasing the diversity of the healthcare workforce is essential to improving access to and the quality of care in communities historically underrepresented in medical professions. BIPOC doctors are more likely to offer treatments in communities of color and treat Medicaid-eligible, uninsured, and patients with complex medical conditions due to unmet health-related social needs. Additionally, patients with the same racial or cultural background as their doctors experience better outcomes and are more likely to be offered preventive care recommendations. Patients are also more likely to report receiving higher quality care and improved communication when their healthcare team members speak their language.

Medical professionals and students' diversity—or lack thereof—affects not only how patients receive treatment but also how faculty design and deliver the curriculum for medical schools and how medical research is carried out. So how can organizations make sure that the healthcare workforce grows more diverse?

Panelists discussed this and other topics, including:

• What the SCOTUS affirmative action decision means for the healthcare workforce
• Who is responsible for addressing inequities in health and broader society
• Challenges faced when addressing inequities in communities
• Ways inequality and social injustice impact health

Angie and Mary talk about Integrated Care, specifically the integration of Behavioral Health into primary care.

During this conversation, you will hear about Mary’s journey as a patient in a non-integrated care model, and how she is now sharing her passion to help others to make healthcare work in an integrated care setting.

Listen to our HealthTeamWorks' Practice Facilitators Diane Cardwell, Angie Schindler-Berg and Katie Ebinger discuss their thoughts about the importance of addressing mental health conditions to impact patients’ overall health.

During this conversation, the team touches on how mental health conditions can impact the emergency department and hospital utilization, also, how important it is to have the tools and skills to promptly intervene when mental health conditions are detected.

You will hear about how understanding the patient's stories can promote psychological safety, subsequently, this sense of safety or belonging can create a sense of dignity that leads to more engaged and empowered patients.

During this two-part podcast episode, you will listen to a conversation about Health Equity. This time, we had the honor to have Indra Lusero as our guest. Indra is the founder and director of Elephant Circle, an organization that brings an intersectional, feminist, reproductive justice, and design thinking approach to birth justice.

Listen to how Cecilia and Indra dive into topics like the circles of protection, trauma during birth, health equity policy, the difference between equity and equality, and steps to address structural inequity.

Below is the list of resources and thought leaders discussed during this:

• Elephant Circle https://www.elephantcircle.net/
• Birth Place Lab Giving Voice to Mothers https://www.birthplacelab.org/giving-voice-to-mothers/
• Why Are Health Disparities Everyone’s Problem? By Lisa Cooper, MD, MPH https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/12659/why-are-health-disparities-everyones-problem
• Your Words Matter – Language Showing Compassion and Care for Women, Infants, Families, and Communities Impacted by Substance Use Disorder - https://nida.nih.gov/nidamed-medical-health-professionals/health-professions-education/words-matter-language-showing-compassion-care-women-infants-families-communities-impacted-substance-use-disorder

Thought Leaders:

• Karen Scott, MD, MPH https://profiles.ucsf.edu/karen.scott
• Dána-Ain Davis, PhD https://www.gc.cuny.edu/people/dana-ain-davis
• Hakima Tafunzi Payne, BSN, RN https://uzazivillage.org/faces/
• Audre Lorde https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/audre-lorde

During this two-part podcast episode, you will listen to a conversation about Health Equity. This time, we had the honor to have Indra Lusero as our guest. Indra is the founder and director of Elephant Circle, an organization that brings an intersectional, feminist, reproductive justice, and design thinking approach to birth justice.

Listen to how Cecilia and Indra dive into topics like the circles of protection, trauma during birth, health equity policy, the difference between equity and equality, and steps to address structural inequity.

Below is the list of resources and thought leaders discussed during this:

• Elephant Circle https://www.elephantcircle.net/
• Birth Place Lab Giving Voice to Mothers https://www.birthplacelab.org/giving-voice-to-mothers/
• Why Are Health Disparities Everyone’s Problem? By Lisa Cooper, MD, MPH https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/12659/why-are-health-disparities-everyones-problem
• Your Words Matter – Language Showing Compassion and Care for Women, Infants, Families, and Communities Impacted by Substance Use Disorder - https://nida.nih.gov/nidamed-medical-health-professionals/health-professions-education/words-matter-language-showing-compassion-care-women-infants-families-communities-impacted-substance-use-disorder

Thought Leaders:

• Karen Scott, MD, MPH https://profiles.ucsf.edu/karen.scott
• Dána-Ain Davis, PhD https://www.gc.cuny.edu/people/dana-ain-davis
• Hakima Tafunzi Payne, BSN, RN https://uzazivillage.org/faces/
• Audre Lorde https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/audre-lorde

In this episode, we are fortunate to have a conversation with Holly Roberts, Ph.D., who is an Associate Professor and faculty trainer in the Department of Psychology at the Munroe-Meyer Institute (MMI) at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and a licensed psychologist in Nebraska. Hear directly from Dr. Roberts about her passion and experience in integrated care, how her team has worked towards integrating behavioral health providers into primary care, and how they measure success. The conversation highlights the importance of having a behavioral health champion within primary care and touches on how the pandemic has intensified the need for behavioral health services in primary care practices.

In this episode, Katie Ebinger has a conversation with Sue Mckenzie Dicks (Vice President of Healthy Culture at Rogers Behavioral Health) about compassion fatigue and resilience, how the pandemic has impacted resilience, staff burnout, and the stigma around mental health. Also, listen to how Rogers Behavioral Health has worked on developing a culture of compassion.