Health Services Career Breakfast
NY Ephs gathered for our fifth installment of the career breakfast series on November 19, this time focusing on alumni working in health services. Charlotte Neuhaus '93, Alice Peterson '96, Marlon Williams '03, and Alix Oliver '07 shared their career paths and perspectives on the healthcare industry.
Here are five key points that we took away from the conversation:
1. An individual's health is 25% genetics, 25% healthcare, and 50% where and how they are able to live. We were encouraged to consider the role of privilege in healthcare and how we can advance opportunities for all individuals to lead healthy lifestyles.
2. The healthcare industry is a large, sprawling ecosystem. Working in health services could mean working in policy, operations, research, community programming, IT, marketing, or finance, for example. The panelists found that it can be difficult to move from one space to another and advised thoughtful consideration of which area is the best match.
3. There are opportunities for collaboration between industries to improve public health. We would not have considered the Department of Transportation a player in health services, for example, but did you know that raising the sidewalks one inch could impact city-wide levels of diabetes?
4. There is a shift in the way healthcare is framing the patient in a historically paternalistic sector that will be empowering for the consumer. Have you considered why we've always been called "patients" or the attitude behind phrases such as, "The doctor will see you now"?
5. The healthcare industry is evolving, for better and for worse. The panelists have big ideas on trends, areas of concern, and opportunities in the health services landscape. Points discussed included the benefits and trade-offs of a single-payer healthcare system; the shift in focus from immediate healthcare issues (e.g. viruses) to long-term healthcare issues (e.g. determinants of lifespan); the increase in out-of-pocket expenses; and the level of choice afforded to consumers in various aspects of their care.
Thanks to our panelists and everyone who participated!
We are excited to continue the career breakfast series in 2016. Please reach out to us at nyephs@gmail.com if there is an industry you'd like to see covered.
