Note: This blog post is a companion piece to Care Ring’s “Seeking the Heart” podcast series in which we talk with leaders from across the region about their ideas and insights on how we can create a better health care system for ALL. To listen to “Seeking the Heart,” simply click here, or search for “Seeking the Heart” on your favorite podcast platform.
In this week’s episode we talk with Brisa Hernandez, a leader in community health at Atrium Health where she works to expand the impact that health care systems make on overall quality of life.
Brisa is a co-instructor in the Department of Family Medicine with Atrium. In this role she introduces residents to a fuller appreciation of how social determinants of health impact patients, especially individuals with limited resources.
A geographer by training, Brisa encourages us to think about the social and spacial determinants of health. The places where we live, work, play and pray have so much more of an impact on health and wellness than simply providing access to health care services.
Brisa talks about the power and potential of the ONE Charlotte Health Alliance partnership between Atrium Health, Novant Health and Mecklenburg County. She shares stories from her field research as a Ph.D. candidate at UNC Charlotte. And she talks about her passion for early intervention programs like Nurse-Family Partnership that hold the power to lift families out of poverty.
Brisa Hernandez believes we have an obligation to help others in need, but that any assistance we provide should be more than just directing people to another program. We must demonstrate through our actions that we love and care for all of our neighbors. We must let people know that regardless of their current station in life, there is hope and opportunity for all. LISTEN TO THE EPISODE
Author: Donald K. Jonas, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Care Ring