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Building Trust Through Education and Data Innovation

Brian Urban, Director of Innovation and Emerging Markets at Finthrive, discusses how the Data Humanity Lab uses donated socioeconomic data to understand the link between social determinants of health and patient outcomes. The initiative partners with academic institutions and policymakers to drive data-informed, affordable healthcare interventions for underserved communities. Urban emphasizes cross-stakeholder collaboration—including grant writers and social workers—as essential to closing societal health gaps.

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By Brian Urban · · Data AnalyticsHealthcare industryHealthcare InequitiesHighway to Health
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Key takeaways

01

Finthrive's Data Humanity Lab donates socioeconomic data (income, education) to study how social determinants drive health disparities.

02

The lab is earning recognition from academic institutions and influencing public policy through data-driven healthcare interventions.

03

Cross-stakeholder collaboration between researchers, grant writers, and social workers is key to bridging healthcare inequities.

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The relationship between socioeconomic backgrounds and health outcomes has been proven through years of study. Healthcare providers understand that those from lower socioeconomic brackets often face more health challenges. This is attributed to limited healthcare access, challenging living conditions, and elevated stress. How can data innovation help stakeholders solve these pressing issues?

Brian Urban, the Director of Innovation and Emerging Markets at Finthrive, delved into this intricate topic on today's episode of Highway to Health with host David Kemp. Finthrive "delivers frictionless revenue experiences…to transform revenue management" in the healthcare industry. Central to Finthrive's approach is the Data Humanity Lab. By donating data that covers variables like income and education, Brian's organization is determined to grasp how socioeconomics influences health outcomes. Because of this, Data Humanity Lab is creating partnerships within the healthcare industry.

Find out in today's episode how the Data Humanity Lab is:

  • Earning recognition from academic institutions for exploring patterns linked to social determinants of health.
  • Impacting public policies and data-driven interventions and data innovation.
  • Steering healthcare providers toward tailored, affordable interventions.

Brian wants to bridge the gaps between different stakeholders, like grant writers and social workers, to close social fissures. "To close some of the societal fissures we have, you need to be able to work with the teams that are of a research background or grant writing background to have the rest of their enterprise buy into it," Brian says.

To close some of the societal fissures we have, you need to be able to work with the teams that are of a research background or grant writing background to have the rest of their enterprise buy into it.
— Brian Urban, Director of Innovation and Emerging Markets at Finthrive

Brian Urban is the current Director of Innovation and Emerging Markets at Finthrive. He earned several master's degrees from different American colleges and universities, most notably Brown University and Dartmouth College. Brian has over a decade of experience in the healthcare and public health industry. However, he is most proud of being a father and a companion to his pets.

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About the author

Brian Urban
Brian UrbanDirector of Innovation & Emerging Markets

Brian Urban has a deep skill set in health promotion and product development for rare disease and senior populations with Large Health Plans and Specialty Pharmacy. Urban has served as a speaker on such topics for the Alzheimer’s Association, Obediah Cole Prostate Cancer Foundation, Cigna Corp and Utica University Institute for the study of integrative healthcare. Urban has received a Masters of Science in Exercise Physiology-Health Promotion, Masters of Business Administration in Market Development and is currently completing a Masters in Public Health at Dartmouth College. Urban is currently a research-fellow sponsored by a Robert Wood Johnson Grant supporting Utica University public health research in Upstate New York.

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About the Experts

Brian Urban
Brian Urban

Director of Innovation and Emerging Markets at Finthrive

Brian Urban is the Director of Innovation and Emerging Markets at Finthrive, where he leads the Data Humanity Lab initiative focused on understanding how socioeconomic factors influence health outcomes. He holds multiple master's degrees, including from Brown University and Dartmouth College, and has over a decade of experience in healthcare and public health. He is also the host of the Highway to Health podcast on MarketScale.

DK
David Kemp

Host

Highway to Health / MarketScale

David Kemp is the host of Highway to Health, a MarketScale show exploring the future of healthcare through conversations with industry innovators and thought leaders.

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