“How can we elevate the conversation around social determinants of health?,” asked
Barbara Williams-Page, DO, associate professor, Family Medicine, medical director at Philadelphia College of
Osteopathic Medicine’s (PCOM) Cambria Division Healthcare Center at the B.PHL Innovation Fest.
Dr. Williams-Page moderated a panel discussion with other health professionals titled, “Treating the Whole Person: How Social Determinants Impact Health & Achieving Health Equity.” The session was coordinated by the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia as part of the B.PHL Innovation Fest, an annual, multi-day event with people and organizations doing innovative work around the city.
Joining Dr. Williams-Page on the panel was Gladys Antelo-Allen, LPN, senior program manager, Field Building & Resources, Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers; Frank Franklin, PhD, JD, MPH, deputy health commissioner for the City of Philadelphia Department of Public Health; Sophia Ononye-Onyia, PhD, MPH, MBA, NACD.DC, founder and CEO of the Sophia Consulting Firm; and Seun O. Ross, PhD, executive director of health equity at Independence Blue Cross.
The speakers discussed a range of topics under the umbrella of health equity, including the need for providers to interact and engage with the communities they serve to better understand and treat their patients. At PCOM, the Lancaster Division of the PCOM Healthcare Centers recently hosted a Community Day to offer health screenings, backpack giveaways, food demos, free haircuts, and free food, among other things, to build relationships in the community and convey the need for continued contact with the people living in the surrounding neighborhood. The PCOM Healthcare Centers will host a similar event at the Cambria Division on October 20.
The panel concluded with a Q&A portion with both panelists and attendees interested in expanding the health equity conversation in the city and beyond. PCOM has and continues to be actively involved through city-wide, private/public partnership programs like Accelerate Health Equity, an initiative to produce tangible improvement in health inequities, and ultimately achieve measurable, positive changes in health outcomes in Philadelphia.
Established in 1899, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) has trained thousands of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral scientists who practice a “whole person” approach to care—treating people, not just symptoms. PCOM, a private, not-for-profit accredited institution of higher education, operates three campuses (PCOM, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia) and offers doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, educational psychology, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, and school psychology. The college also offers graduate degrees in applied behavior analysis, applied positive psychology, biomedical sciences, forensic medicine, medical laboratory science, mental health counseling, physician assistant studies, and school psychology. PCOM students learn the importance of health promotion, research, education and service to the community. Through its community-based Healthcare Centers, PCOM provides care to medically underserved populations. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 215-871-6100.
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