We’re joined by Shonta Chambers, who serves as the Executive Vice President-Health Equity Initiatives and Community Engagement for the Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF). Shonta explains how social drivers impact one’s health, including things such as housing and economic status. We dive into the case work she does with PAF to combat these challenges and connect patients to resources. She also shares her personal journey of being a caregiver.

Among the highlights in this episode:

01:00: Shonta explains her role at the Patient Advocate Foundation, detailing her personal and professional experience with health advocacy

01:35: Shonta describes the foundation's work in addressing the non-clinical, social, and financial drivers of health inequities, emphasizing the broad support they offer from insurance issues to basic living needs

02:40: Zoe Rothblatt, Director of Community Outreach at GHLF, discusses the significant impact of social and economic factors on health and probes further into patient experiences

03:04: Shonta highlights the importance of addressing various non-clinical factors that affect health outcomes and shares how the foundation helps patients navigate these challenges

07:34: Zoe reflects on the exhaustive nature of being a patient and highlights PAF's role in alleviating some of that burden

09:20: Shonta shares personal challenges as a caregiver and the systemic issues she faces even with her professional background

16:38: Zoe asks what can be done to help improve conditions for patients, prompting a discussion on policy advocacy and community support

19:47: Shonta offers advice to caregivers on maintaining their well-being and the importance of self-care

23:30: What our hosts learned from this episode

For more information about the Patient Advocate Foundation visit: https://www.patientadvocate.org/

Contact Our Hosts

Steven Newmark, Chief of Policy at GHLF: snewmark@ghlf.org

Zoe Rothblatt, Director of Community Outreach at GHLF: zrothblatt@ghlf.org

A podcast episode produced by Ben Blanc, Associate Director, Digital Production and Engagement at GHLF.

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