Boston Medical Center is Leading the Way in Social Impact

 

Boston Medical Center (BMC) is at the forefront of health equity and social impact. Its dedicated focus is on addressing social determinants of health and improving outcomes for underserved communities. This emphasis aligns with current trends in healthcare, where social impact and community engagement are becoming increasingly critical.

In this episode of the “Healthcare Rethink” podcast, host Brian Urban sits down with Sheila Phicil, a Social Innovation Architect at BMC, to discuss the institution’s pioneering health equity and social impact efforts. Phicil shares insights into BMC’s Health Equity Accelerator, a program designed to eliminate health disparities and enhance community well-being through innovative strategies and partnerships.

Phicil recounts her journey from a first-generation Haitian American in Orlando to her current role at BMC. She highlights how her early experiences in leadership and community organizing have shaped her approach to addressing health disparities and driving social impact. Her work involves navigating complex social determinants of health and fostering economic mobility for BMC’s diverse patient population.

At BMC, the Health Equity Accelerator aims to close health disparities by geography, race, and other factors. Phicil explains the program’s history and evolution, emphasizing the need for culturally relevant and humble care. She also discusses the role of navigators in connecting patients with essential resources, such as housing, food, and employment support.

Phicil’s vision for the future includes shifting from a charity-based model to an equity-focused approach, where healthcare institutions leverage their resources to empower communities and promote generational well-being. This holistic strategy involves collaborating with various partners, from local organizations to major institutions, to address the multifaceted needs of the community and amplify their social impact.

 

Recent Episodes

In this episode of Care Anywhere: The Global Health Workforce Podcast, host Lea Sims, Chief Marketing Officer of TruMerit, welcomes Kathryn Shaffer, EdD, RN, MSN, CNE, CCFP, Director of Innovation at Thomas Jefferson University’s College of Nursing. Kathryn brings a distinctive perspective on reimagining nursing education and practice through a holistic, self-healing lens. The…

The landscape of employee benefits has undergone a seismic shift in the last decade. From the rise of telemedicine to the introduction of lifestyle spending accounts and stipends for services like DoorDash and HelloFresh, employers are reimagining how they support workers in a post-pandemic, inflation-conscious world. With healthcare costs rising and talent competition intensifying,…

The sterile processing industry stands at a pivotal moment. With surgical case volumes rising while departmental resources remaining flat, the pressure to “do more with less” has never been greater. Nowadays, sterile processing departments (SPDs) are struggling with high staff turnover and growing compliance requirements. And while these regulations are designed to improve patient…