Empowering Health Equity: A Month-Long Podcast Series with UPMC Health Plan and Janine Jelks-Seale on Reducing Disparities

As part of our ongoing efforts to celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are thrilled to present a special month-long podcast series in collaboration with UPMC Health Plan. Over the course of this limited series, we have had the privilege of speaking with a variety of experts in the field of healthcare and health equity.

In our final episode, we are joined by Janine Jelks-Seale, MSPPM. With a background as an R&D specialist and a deep commitment to advancing equity in healthcare, Janine currently serves as the director of health equity at UPMC Health Plan. In her role, she leverages her skills and knowledge to work towards both short- and long-term goals aimed at reducing health disparities and promoting health inclusion.

During our conversation, we delve into the importance of developing and implementing strategies to address health disparities. Janine highlights the recent launch of UPMC Health Plan’s LGBTQIA+ Affirming Provider designation within its online provider directory as one example of the organization’s commitment to promoting equity. By taking an intersectional approach that considers both member characteristics and geographical factors, we can better identify populations at higher risk for adverse outcomes due to social determinants of health.

We hope that you have enjoyed this podcast series and encourage you to explore our other episodes. You can listen to all episodes on various podcast services such as iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher, and Spotify. Thank you for joining us on this journey towards advancing health equity for all.