How can healthcare leaders make a difference with innovative models for food security and health equity? In this episode of Product Talk hosted by Cognizant Product Director Chenny Solaiyappan, U.S. Hunger President & CEO Rick Whitted shares his journey from corporate banking to healthcare leadership. He discusses U.S. Hunger’s innovative approaches to addressing food insecurity and social determinants of health, including their community activation events and full cart program. Rick emphasizes the importance of understanding lived experiences, leveraging technology and data, and creating connected ecosystems in healthcare. He offers valuable perspectives on the future of healthcare, the role of community-based organizations, and advice for aspiring healthcare entrepreneurs.
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Show Notes
- Rick Whitted transitioned from corporate banking to healthcare leadership during the pandemic.
- U.S. Hunger addresses food insecurity through community activation events and a full cart program.
- Food insecurity is often a symptom of broader social determinants of health issues.
- Understanding lived experiences is crucial for addressing health-related social needs effectively.
- U.S. Hunger’s business model includes community engagement, patient engagement, and data analytics.
- The organization uses food as a platform for health-related social needs screening.
- Technology, data, and AI play increasingly important roles in healthcare and social care.
- Quality of data input is becoming more critical as AI tools improve.
- U.S. Hunger employs an agile methodology for innovation and adaptability.
- The organization emphasizes data-driven decision-making in its operations.
- Healthcare leadership requires looking beyond immediate needs to long-term vision.
- Aspiring healthcare entrepreneurs should remember that healthcare is fundamentally about serving others.
- There’s a need for a more connected ecosystem in healthcare beyond basic interoperability.
- Community-based organizations play a vital role in capturing intimate insights for addressing care gaps.
- U.S. Hunger aims to bring community-based organizations to the table in healthcare discussions.
- The organization has shifted its mission to focus on health outcomes, not just food distribution.
- U.S. Hunger’s data analytics include natural language processing and AI analysis of testimonials.
- The pandemic accelerated the adoption of virtual platforms for health-related services.
- There’s a growing recognition of the link between food insecurity and poor health outcomes.
- The future of healthcare may involve a closed-loop referral system focused on services delivered rather than just referrals made.
About the speaker
Rick Whitted is the President & Chief Executive Officer at U.S. Hunger, a global nonprofit whose mission is feeding families today and uniting them to a healthier tomorrow. In total, U.S. Hunger (USH) has provided over 165 million meals to families in need. Before his appointment as CEO in March 2020, Rick served on USH’s board of directors. Rick has overseen the launch of several of the organization’s initiatives: expanding home delivery of fresh produce into its supply chain; aligning its Full Cart® program with the Centers for Medicare/Medicaid Services’ (CMS) health equity framework; and, developing a cloud based SaaS solution that uses A.I. and Machine Learning to identify root causes of food insecurity in the U.S. and provide real-time actionable intelligence on social determinants of health (SDOH). Rick is a graduate of Stetson University and Nova Southern University where he received a BA in Political Sciences/American Studies, and an MBA, Business Administration and Management, respectively. Prior to joining USH, he spent 27 multi-faceted years in banking; focusing on small business, government and non-profit banking. He is also an accomplished author and speaker with expertise in leadership, workplace culture and individual and team development. Affiliations/Membership: U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, Google Refresh Working Group, City of Orlando Mayor's Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission, Aligning for Health Advisory Board
About the host
Chenny Solaiyappan is the Director of Product Management for Cognizant Trizetto's Government and Quality Solutions, and a founding member of the ClaimSphere suite of products, encompassing quality, HEDIS ®, CMS Stars, and clinical solutions. An accomplished Intrapreneur and Lean Startup Practitioner, he plays a pivotal role in shaping the overall product strategy and serves as the HL7 DaVinci Business Co-chair. With a notable track record, Chenny has provided consultancy to over 30 health plans across the nation, consistently raising Quality and Star ratings in Medicaid, Medicare, Federal Employees Health Plan, and Commercial health plan sectors, collectively supporting 30 million lives. His outstanding leadership and innovative contributions have earned him prestigious awards, including the 2023 Top 20 Global Product Manager Award by Products That Count, as well as the 2021 and 2019 Product of the Year awards by Cognizant Trizetto.