340B Insight Podcast
Episode Forty-Nine: Using 340B Savings to Tackle Health Disparities
May 9, 2022
This week, we are joined by Coletta Barrett, vice president of mission at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center. Our Lady of the Lake (OLOL) is using its 340B savings to pursue health equity initiatives. Coletta shares best practices and provides inspiration for how 340B professionals can work toward eliminating health disparities in their hospitals and communities. Before the interview, we share updates on a new 340B Health survey report demonstrating the harm to hospitals and patients of drug company restrictions on discounts for drugs dispensed at community and specialty contract pharmacies. (Transcript)
Show Notes
- How 340B Savings Help Hospitals Pursue Health Equity OLOL has used 340B savings to expand services to underserved areas in Baton Rouge, La. Coletta gives examples on how the health system is investing those resources into expanding access to care for the uninsured and underinsured.
- Collecting Data to Address Health Disparities Coletta gives advice on how hospitals can collect, analyze, and apply data to address health disparities in their communities. She explains how such data enabled OLOL to determine that it needed to open another emergency room, bring social workers into certain departments, and establish more relationship-based care.
- Partnering With Others to Address Social Determinants of Health OLOL recognized that food insecurity and lack of access to COVID vaccines were negatively affecting its community. Coletta explains how the health system partnered with established community-based organizations and trusted resources to reach underserved areas.
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