Equity RX: Prescribing Change for Health Equity , Dr. Nwando Anyaoku, Providence

HLTH Forward Podcast

In this episode, I talk to Dr. Nwando Anyaoku, a physician and public health advocate working tirelessly to address racial and socioeconomic disparities in healthcare.

Dr. Anyaoku shares her personal story of growing up in Nigeria and witnessing firsthand the devastating impacts of inadequate access to quality healthcare. This experience inspired her to pursue a career in medicine to promote health equity.

After completing her medical training in the United States, Dr. Anyaoku spent several years providing care in underserved communities. She quickly realized that while medical treatment is crucial, deeper systemic barriers are preventing many patients from achieving optimal health outcomes.

Dr. Anyaoku emphasizes the importance of looking upstream to address the root causes of poor health. This means advocating for policies and interventions that target socioeconomic inequality, structural racism, environmental justice, and other societal factors influencing well-being.

The episode explores some of Dr. Anyaoku's current initiatives, including:

• Working with community organizations to increase health literacy and patient advocacy
• Researching implicit biases in healthcare settings
• Developing cultural competency training for medical professionals
• Lobbying for Medicaid expansion and affordable housing in underserved areas
• Forging cross-sector partnerships to improve community health holistically

Throughout the discussion, Dr. Anyaoku shares powerful stories that humanize the stark statistics around health inequities. Her passion for this work shines through as she calls for collective action to dismantle unfair systems and ensure everyone has a fair opportunity to thrive.

About
Dr. Nwando Anyaoku is a physician executive, speaker, coach and consultant based in Seattle, Washington.

A board-certified pediatrician, Dr Anyaoku serves as VP and Chief Health Equity officer for Providence Swedish Health Services. Working closely with clinical and community leaders, she leads efforts in advancing equity in healthcare and the delivery of culturally competent care, with an emphasis on technology and digital innovation. She is an experienced executive and physician leader with expertise in clinical and business decision making. Dr Anyaoku is faculty at Carnegie Mellon University Master of Medical Management program. As a strategic advisor and consultant, she not only specializes in health equity, but also provides leadership development and supports physicians and executives in every aspect of their leadership journeys, including career reimagining and strategic planning.

Dr. Anyaoku is best known for her strong commitment to helping people and communities thrive and bloom where they are planted. When she’s not coaching and supporting medical leaders or speaking at conferences and special events, Dr Anyaoku serves as an active board member for several regional and national boards of directors. Dr. Anyaoku is a proud mother of two boys and an avid reader, traveler and cook.

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