Webinar: Building & Maintaining Trust in Communities of Color
Tuesday, November 10, 2020 | 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM CT
About the webinar
Medical mistrust from communities of color is certainly not a new trend. A legacy of medical racism in the U.S. can be traced to historical events such as the Flexner Report and Tuskegee Syphilis Study, the current lack of minority participation in clinical trials, and ongoing research that uncovers differences in minority care even after equalizing socioeconomic variables. A recent New York Times article that highlighted the work of several prominent economists asserts that black men are less likely than white men to seek healthcare and more likely to die at younger ages, and one-third of the black-white gap in male life expectancy could be attributed to the legacy of distrust connected to the Tuskegee study. As the global COVID-19 pandemic kills Black Americans at almost three times the rate of white Americans, many systemic inequities that communities of color face and the resulting medical mistrust are being laid bare. To rebuild trust in medical professionals, organizations need to actively seek out and engage communities of color. Just some of the strategies that organizations can employ include: (1) leveraging faith-based community organizations and other trusted individuals to circulate health information, (2) developing community health worker programs that employ individuals who live and work in communities of color, and (3) training physicians and staff on the importance of gaining cultural competency and recognizing unconscious biases. This webinar brings together senior executives and physicians from integrated hospital systems who are developing new and novel strategies to build and maintain trust in communities of color.
Webinar Panelists
Mr. Joseph Gaspero
CEO & Co-Founder of Center for Healthcare Innovation
Joseph Gaspero is the CEO and Co-Founder of CHI. He is a healthcare executive, strategist, and researcher. He co-founded CHI in 2009 to be an independent, objective, and interdisciplinary research and education institute for healthcare. Joseph leads CHI’s research and education initiatives focusing on including patient-driven healthcare, patient engagement, clinical trials, drug pricing, and other pressing healthcare issues. He sets and executes CHI’s strategy, devises marketing tactics, leads fundraising efforts, and manages CHI’s Management team. Joseph is passionate and committed to making healthcare and our world a better place. His leadership stems from a wide array of experiences, including founding and operating several non-profit and for-profit organizations, serving in the U.S. Air Force in support of 2 foreign wars, and deriving expertise from time spent in industries such as healthcare, financial services, and marketing. Joseph’s skills include strategy, management, entrepreneurship, healthcare, clinical trials, diversity & inclusion, life sciences, research, marketing, and finance. He has lived in six countries, traveled to over 30 more, and speaks 3 languages, all which help him view business strategy through the prism of a global, interconnected 21st century. Joseph has a B.S. in Finance from the University of Illinois at Chicago. When he’s not immersed in his work at CHI, he spends his time snowboarding backcountry, skydiving, mountain biking, volunteering, engaging in MMA, and rock climbing.
Mrs. Shannon Stephenson
CEO of Cempa Community Care
Shannon Stephenson is the Chief Executive Officer of Cempa Community Care, formerly Chattanooga CARES, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Mrs. Stephenson graduated from Tennessee Wesleyan University with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Accounting. In 2008, she received her Master of Business Administration from Lincoln Memorial University. She comes from a background in regulatory compliance, public health and safety, business administration, and emergency management. She has a proven track record as a pioneer in cultivating the values of an organization to lead it to success. As an innovative and strategic leader, she uses her visionary approach to move the agency forward by developing culture, enhancing communication, creating strong alliances, and building high performing teams in a desirable work environment.
Since arriving in October of 2015, Mrs. Stephenson has been instrumental in expanding the programs and services offered by Cempa Community Care. After assessing the community needs, Cempa restructured its mission to include Hepatitis C and Sexually Transmitted Infections. This led to the creation of an STI clinic that offers both Hepatitis C and PrEP services. Additionally, the agency expanded its operations and opened a sister site in partnership with East Tennessee State University Center of Excellence. Further strategic initiatives include introducing the Rapid Antiretroviral Program Initiative for new Diagnosis and Rapid Syphilis Testing; enhancing behavioral health and care coordination programs; launching a rural mobile clinic and syringe services program; rebranding the agency; and expanding access in minority communities.
As an emerging leader in Healthcare Administration, Mrs. Stephenson has engaged as a speaker or panelist concentrating on innovative practices, fiscal oversite, and program compliance. Most recently, she accepted an invitation as a panelist for SAMHSA-HRSA Center for Integrated Health Solutions focused on Sustaining Integrated Care. Nationally, she serves as President of the Ryan White Clinics for 340B Access. Regionally, she serves as the President for the Association of Governmental Accountants. Locally, she serves as a board member or committee member with several community based organizations.
Ms. Phyllis Rodgers
Founder and CEO, Peer Plus Education and Training Advocates
Phyllis L. Rodgers is the Founder and CEO of Peer Plus Education and Training Advocates, a registered 501(C)(3) in Illinois. Since its inception in 2002, Peer Plus has engaged 4,500+ participants through community events, seminars hosted by various medical providers and clinical staff as well as health fairs, screenings and educational programs. As a nonprofit, Peer Plus is financially supported through fundraising, donations and philanthropic giving.
Peer Plus began when Ms. Rodgers became a case manager—the first and only person of color on the clinical team—at the former Sable/Sherer Clinic at Cook County Hospital. She successfully managed a caseload of 300+ ex-offenders from the county Department of Corrections and the general population. In later years, she supervised a team of 25 HIV-positive adults through the Volunteer Services at the Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center and reintroduced them to their communities as health workers and advocates for others who were HIV-positive. She has served on the board of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and as the coordinator of the AIDS Walk for all Cook County employees.
Ms. Rodgers' vast experience as a community and patient advocate laid the foundation for Peer Plus. A cancer survivor, she has committed her talents to change patient experiences and to create much-needed conversations and outcomes. In 2016 she was certified as an Ambassador with the Washington-based PCORI (Patient-Centered Research Outcomes Institute) and in 2017 became a member of the Patient Brigade with the University of Illinois Cancer Center. In honor of Black History Month 2020, Peer Plus forged an historic partnership with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and collaborated to co-host a community forum, “A Conversation about the Facts, Figures and Cultural Diversity in Oncology,” which underscored the urgent need for people of all colors to participate in clinical trials.
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