Penn Medicine’s 10th Annual Health Equity Week

HOLDING MOSES is an award-winning short documentary that highlights the joys and challenges of parenting through a unique lens. After the screening of the 17-minute film, Hannah Kakara Anderson, MBA will moderate a panel discussion with the project’s featured subject, Randi Rader and the film’s director, Rivkah Beth Medow.

Watch the trailer here.

Shortlisted for the 2023 Oscars, HOLDING MOSES chronicles the heartfelt story of a queer mother and Broadway performer as she learns how to parent her son who was born with a profound disability. HOLDING MOSES is described as “incredibly raw and beautiful” (Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Foundation), “a remarkably candid journey with stunning visuals” (Deadline), and “an intimate story of parenting and disability” (The New Yorker).

Hosted by: Penn Medicine Center for Health Equity Advancement in partnership with the National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation

Description: A safe, inclusive work culture is essential to deliver high-quality, equitable healthcare. Creating an infrastructure that addresses observed or experienced incidences of misconduct and promotes accountability can advance this process at the systemic level. This session will present the Women’s Health Conduct Review Collaborative (CORE), an interdisciplinary incident review board, as one such initiative utilized in the OBGYN Department. Participants will participate in a mock CORE session by applying restorative justice practices to address examples of challenging incidents to promote a culture of equity and safety.

Speakers:

• Abike James, MD, MPH, Professor, Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vice Chair Academic Excellence and Community Engagement
• Khaila as Khaila Ramey-Collier, MD, HUP OBGYN resident, Chief of Culture and Engagement

Learning Objectives:

• Define culture of equity and restorative justice 
• Identify barriers and facilitators to creating a culture of equity  
• Recognize the contributions of a bias reporting and interdisciplinary response system to improving cultures of safety and equity
• Develop restorative solutions to resolve challenging incidents 

Hosted by: Department of OBGYN

After two semesters of preparation, the graduates of the Penn Community Scholars Program will present their innovative ideas to potential collaborators and funders.

The event will include networking opportunities, the pitch presentations, and a keynote presentation from Dr. Victoria Cargill, Senior Director, Public Health @ the Milken Institute.

Celebrating its tenth year, the Penn Community Scholars Program was developed to foster and promote community-academic partnerships and community-based participatory research.

Join a morning of connection, collaboration, and celebration with some of the best community and academic leaders in Philadelphia.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn best practices for fostering meaningful, sustainable partnerships between community and academia.
• Improve your understanding of how to design community-driven research projects that promote health, social, and behavioral outcomes.
• Explore strategies for fostering research collaborations between communities and academic institutions that share power, decision-making, resources, and benefits equally amongst partners.

Hosted by: Penn REACH Initiative

Description: Come join the conversation with Julia Cobble and Amba Kasongo on the work of largest food bank in Philadelphia. Topics include food justice, advocacy, nutrition and the intersection with health care systems.

Speakers:

• Amba Kasongo, Assistant Director, Healthcare Partnerships, Philabundance
• Julie Cobble, Nutrition Educator, Community Partnerships, PA Healthy Pantry Initiative, Philabundance

Hosted by: DEI Café

Description: The panel discussion focuses on the challenges faced by historically marginalized community members after discharge from the hospital. The discussion will cover strategies for assessing the social needs of patients as they prepare for discharge, ensuring that teams provide comprehensive care and support to historically vulnerable populations. There will be time for questions and answers.

Panelists (Names, titles, emails):

• Ayana Bradshaw, MPH; CEO of AccessMatters
• D. Daphne Owen, MD; Penn Medicine / Puentes de
• J. Margo Brooks Carthon, PhD, APRN, FAAN; University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
• Jovan Bennett, BS; Penn Medicine, Director or Penn Center for Community Health Workers
• (Moderator) Stephanie C. Chando, PhD, LCSW, MSW, MEd; Penn Medicine

Learning Objectives:

• Learners will understand challenges faced by marginalized community members after discharge
• Learners will be able to identify community resources to aid patients
• Learners will be able to delineate strategies to assess patient needs post-discharge.

Event location: Zubrow Auditorium, Pennsylvania Hospital (Hybrid)

Hosted by: PAH Clinical / Research DEI Workgroup

Samuel Mendez highlights the impact of health literacy and artificial intelligence on health equity through discussion of AI tools used to provide health information. Best practice for tools and analysis of health equity implications of generative AI tools round out the presentation.

Speakers: Samuel R. Mendez, PhD Candidate in Social and Behavioral Sciences at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health,

Learning Objectives:

1. Define the strengths and limitations of popular Large Language Model (LLM) tools for health literacy
2. Identify best practice for utilizing such tools in professional communication
3. Analyze health equity implications of the implementation of generative AI tools

Hosted by: Penn Medicine Health Literacy Collaborative

Speaker: Douglas MacKay, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Public Policy, University of North Carolina

Description: The concept of health equity (and its inverse, health inequity) is often invoked by public health policymakers and scholars to justify government action. Because health equity is so central to the operations of public health agencies, its meaning is highly consequential for public health policy. In this talk, Dr. MacKay first identifies challenges with two prominent approaches to identifying health inequities, disparitarian approaches, which define health inequities as unfair health disparities among groups, and derivative approaches, which define health inequities as health outcomes resulting from injustice. Dr. MacKay then offers a new framework for identifying health inequities and outlines the justificatory burdens public health scholars and policymakers must discharge to show that specific health outcomes are inequitable.

Hosted by: Penn Medical Ethics & Health Policy

Location: Great Court in the Historic Pine Building, Pennsylvania Hospital, 800 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107

Ayesha Jaco, a lifelong resident of Chicago’s west side, has dedicated her career to improving the health and economic vitality of the community she grew up in. As Executive Director of West Side United (WSU) founded by Ascension, Cook County Health, Lurie Children’s RUSH, Sinai Chicago & UI Health, she leads programs and partnerships with additional anchor institutions, including nonprofits and churches, who work collaboratively to eliminate the 14-year life expectancy gap between Black and Brown residents on Chicago’s West Side and Chicago’s Loop.

After the talk, there will be light bites and a meet and greet with Ayesha Jaco from 3pm-4pm. Event registration is required and tickets will be checked at the door.

Speaker: Ayesha Jaco

Hosted by: University of Pennsylvania Center for Public Health

Description: Urine Drug Screening (UDS) is often used to detect prenatal substance exposure but is not predictive of ongoing risk to infants. Despite its limitations and documented racial and socioeconomic biases, it contributes to legal surveillance and criminalization, resulting in reduced treatment for birthing parents, increased neonatal abstinence syndrome rates, and family separation. Dr. Bhadra-Heintz will review the literature on the subject, while Dr. Kravitz will present data from Penn. Dr. James will outline the new joint Obstetric and Neonatal UDS Guideline aimed at reducing unnecessary screenings. Dr. Sarita Sonalkar will moderate the discussion to inquire about concepts of reproductive justice and health equity, and relationships urine drug screening to overall health of populations throughout our health system and across the United States.

Speakers:

• Dr. Nia Bhadra Heintz, Co-Director of the Perinatal Resources for Opioid Use Disorder Program at Penn, Dr.
• Dr. Elizabeth Kravitz, resident physician in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Penn
• Abike James, MD, MPH, Professor, Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vice Chair Academic Excellence and Community Engagement
• Moderated by Dr. Sarita Sonalkar, faculty in the Division of Complex Family Planning, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and co-lead of DISPEL.

Learning Objectives:

1. Develop an appreciation for the racial and socio-economic complexity behind laws governing drug use during pregnancy and be able to contextualize these laws with the use of Urine Drug Screen during pregnancy.
2. Recognize and be able to identify the biases that exist in the Department of Human Services/Child Protective Services system, which, like all institutions, are subject to injustices in their creation and structure.
3. At the end of this activity, participants will be able to, with changes in attitude and perception on Urine Drug Screenings and identify the contexts in which they would or would not be appropriate in a multidisciplinary discussion with neonatologists, social workers, and nurses at their intuitions.

Hosted by: Department of OBGYN

Description: The panel discussion will cover the intersection between learning health system (LHS) science and health equity and justice. A learning health system is a health system in which learnings from each patient encounter are systematically harnessed to improve similar encounters in the future, leading to patient care that is higher quality, safer, and more efficient. Panelists will address the challenges of integrating equity and community engagement into their ongoing LHS initiatives at Penn Medicine, along with strategies to overcome these barriers. Participants will engage in dialogue aimed at promoting collaboration and innovative solutions for achieving equitable health outcomes in these health system contexts and beyond.

Panelists:

1. Renée Betancourt, MD, Associate Professor of Clinical Family Medicine and Community Health; Vice Chair for Diversity Equity and Inclusion, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Perelman School of Medicine; PORTAL LHS Clinician Leader
2. Angela Cai, MD, Assistant Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine; Medical Director, Practical Alternatives to Hospitalization (PATH); PORTAL Internal Affiliate Scholar
3. Kyra O’Brien, MD, MSHP, Assistant Professor of Neurology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania; LDI Senior Fellow; PORTAL LHS Scientist Investigator
4. Facilitator: Heather Klusaritz, PhD, MSW, Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health, Perelman School of Medicine; Director of Community Engagement, Center for Public Health Initiatives; Director of Community Health Services, Center for Health Equity Advancement, Penn Medicine

Learning Objectives:

• Principles around health and healthcare equity and justice
• Challenges around embedding equity and community engagement into LHS initiatives
• Lessons learned from LHS initiatives at Penn

Hosted by: Penn PORTAL

Description: In this presentation, Dr. Parish-Morris will provide an overview of recent research on sex differences and gender development in autistic children. Dr. Parish-Morris will highlight the importance of recognizing gender diversity early in development, illustrating how this awareness can affect long-term social and mental health outcomes for autistic individuals. There will be time for questions and answers.

Speakers: Julia Parish-Morris, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry, UPenn SOM, Director, Social Attention and Language (SoAL) Lab, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, CHOP, Senior Principal Scientist, Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify 3 behavioral/phenotypic differences between autistic girls and boys
2. Define gender diversity and recognize how it may differ in autistic populations
3. Describe how understanding gender diversity in the early years may affect long-term social and mental health outcomes

Hosted by: FOCUS

Description: The Penn OBGYN Health Equity Showcase is a dynamic Grand Rounds event focused on addressing disparities in obstetrics and gynecology. This engaging session brings together experts to present innovative research, share best practices, and discuss strategies aimed at promoting health equity in obstetrics and gynecology. Attendees will gain valuable insights into the latest advancements and initiatives designed to improve access and outcomes.

Speakers:

• Anna Jo Smith, MD, MPH, MSc, Assistant Professor, Gynecologic Oncology, University of Pennsylvania & Penn Cancer for Cancer Care Innovation
• Alice Abernathy, MD, MSHP, Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Assistant Professor of Medical Ethics and Health Policy
• Rebecca Hamm, MD, MSCE, Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Pennsylvania Hospital, Co-Director, AMETHIST@Penn, Co-Director, IMPROVE Initiative
• Uduak Andy, MD, Chief of Gynecology at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Description: This is an interactive 90-min session which will orient participants in the history, theory, and practice of Restorative Justice and Restorative Practices, and how they are being applied at Penn.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the Principles of Restorative Practices: Participants will be able to define restorative practices, distinguish them from traditional disciplinary approaches, and explain their role in fostering accountability, trust, and community healing.
2. Recognize the Impact of Harm and the Importance of Repair: Participants will explore how harm affects individuals and communities, learn the principles of restorative justice, and analyze how dialogue-centered approaches promote healing and conflict resolution.
3. Develop Skills for Restorative Conversations: Participants will practice foundational restorative techniques, such as active listening, affective statements, and restorative circles, to engage in meaningful dialogue, address conflict, and build stronger relationships.

Description: This panel discussion will explore the current state of LGBTQ+ health research and its implications for health policy and practice. Panelists will share insights on structural and systemic challenges to providing culturally humble and inclusive care, and propose strategies to address barriers faced by LGBTQ+ communities. The conversation, moderated by Director of the Eidos LGBTQ+ Health Initiative José Bauermeister, PhD, MPH, will focus on how policy levers can be used to drive health equity for the LGBTQ+ community. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how research, policy, and practice intersect to support the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ populations. Reception to follow the panel discussion.

Speakers:

• José Bauermeister, PhD, MPH (moderator), Albert M. Greenfield Professor of Human Relations, School of Nursing Director, Eidos LGBTQ+ Health Initiative, Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine
• Jerrica Kirkley, MD, Plume Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer
• Brittany Charlton, ScD Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Director of the LGBTQ Health Center of Excellence

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the barriers to access and receipt of appropriate health care by members of the LGBTQ+ community.
2. Understand ways to begin to mitigate disparities in access to and receipt of appropriate health care by members of the LGBTQ+ community.
3. Gain knowledge of the ways that policy can advance or hinder access to and receipt of appropriate health care by members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Hosted by: Penn LDI & Eidos LGBTQ+ Health Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania

Description: The Research in Maternal Health Equity Symposium aims to spotlight ongoing and recently completed research at Penn advancing maternal health equity, emphasizing translational, clinical, and policy research. The event will facilitate the dissemination of findings across various research disciplines to Penn clinicians and research teams. Additionally, it will showcase advancements in community-engaged maternal health research and promote the future of innovative research in this critical area. The symposium will host faculty presentations, trainee lightning talks, and feature a keynote by Representative Morgan Cephas.

Hosted by:

• Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania
• Achieving Maternal Equity and Transforming Health through Implementation Science and Training (AMETHIST@Penn)
• Penn Pregnancy and Perinatal Research Center (PPRC)
• Penn March of Dimes Research Center for Advancing Maternal Health Equity
• Penn Medicine Center for Health Equity Advancement (CHEA)