“Each year, FOCUS applauds the efforts of the individuals, organizations and/or initiatives making a positive difference in the St. Louis region with our What’s Right With the Region Awards. This event shines a bright light on those who are advancing the equity, prosperity, collaboration, and strength of our communities. Mark your calendars for our 25th Annual What’s Right with the Region Awards Celebration on May 12, 2022! On May 12, 2022, FOCUS St. Louis, the region’s premier leadership organization, will honor 20 individuals, organizations, and initiatives making a difference at the 25th Annual What’s Right with the Region Awards Celebration. These honorees were nominated by the public and selected by a committee of local leaders for their impact and service to the community.”
If one thing is clear, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequities across social determinants of health. As we think about the multifaceted impact of an overturning of Roe v. Wade, we must also do so pragmatically with an equity lens. There is data to indicate that an overturning of Roe v. Wade will further magnify divisions along the lines of the social gradient of health.
On May 2, 2022, news broke that Roe v. Wade would be overturned according to an initial draft majority opinion released by Politico. In the political economy that we find ourselves in, this news has had the immediate consequence of furthering divisions between Americans — those in favor of the ruling and those against. While much rhetoric about the morality of the underlying subject matter already exists given the intense debate this topic has garnered over the nearly half-century since the 1973 landmark decision, such a momentous decision is additionally impacted by “real-world” considerations and its pertinence to the health care industry.
Executive Director Tejas Sekhar has been selected by Olin Business School at Washington University as a St. Louis Changemaker. Tejas was nominated and subsequently selected by students after they were inspired by his work to provide resources to St. Louisans during the COVID-19 pandemic through EndingCOVID 501(c)(3) and other social impact initiatives such as Compass (compass-sms.com).
“Each year, FOCUS applauds the efforts of the individuals, organizations and/or initiatives making a positive difference in the St. Louis region with our What’s Right With the Region Awards. This event shines a bright light on those who are advancing the equity, prosperity, collaboration, and strength of our communities. Mark your calendars for our 25th Annual What’s Right with the Region Awards Celebration on May 12, 2022! On May 12, 2022, FOCUS St. Louis, the region’s premier leadership organization, will honor 20 individuals, organizations, and initiatives making a difference at the 25th Annual What’s Right with the Region Awards Celebration. These honorees were nominated by the public and selected by a committee of local leaders for their impact and service to the community.”
If one thing is clear, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequities across social determinants of health. Cities and urban environments tend to have large gaps in health care accessibility and correspondent health care disparities. Despite the existence of localized public health infrastructure, such infrastructure tends to be fragmented and cannot fully encompass the level of nuance within its patient population as a result. As such, health care inequities are cyclically perpetuated in part through discontinuous health systems. Smarter, patient-centric approaches are needed to move the needle forward and improve at-risk populations’ clinical care and associated outcomes. While technology is often thought of as the proprietor to achieve this goal, low-cost educational interventions and updated guidelines may serve as equally reliable or even better methods to attain this outcome.
EndingCOVID.org is a nonprofit initiative nested within TejHospitality, a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization focused on local asset-based community development in the Greater St. Louis Area.