The Crisis of Access and Equity with March Of Dimes

All women deserve healthcare that is safe, effective, efficient, and equitable. Joining us on MEternal is March Of Dimes CEO Dr. Elizabeth Cherot. This conversation will address the key findings of the recently published March Of Dimes Maternity Care Deserts Report and the crisis of access and equity in communities of color.

Episode Transcript

(00:01):
Me turn. Somebody asked me thisthe other day, so I have to
bring it up. What lane doesthe March of Dimes swim down? And
I always like to say, no, We're the swimming pool, right,
because we're the convener. We liketo bring people together and so we can
fund all the data, we canfund all the corporations together, the volunteers,
get the healthcare and bring that.Really, you know, I hope

(00:24):
eighty five year strong history of beinga good partner, sure both in the
community with everyone, you know,to drive outcomes better. All women deserve
healthcare which is safe, effective andefficient and equitable. Joining us on eternal
is March of Dimes CEO doctor ElizabethShirou. This conversation will address the key
findings of the recently published March ofDimes and Maternity Care Deserts Report and the

(00:47):
crisis of access in equity and communitiesof color. We're trying to get the
best starts for moms and babies,and you know, we want the best
outcome for moms no matter their race, bography, your wealth. That's really
you know, the goal of theMarch of Dimes is really about birth outcomes.
Yeah, and your your career hashad an interesting trajectory because you've recently

(01:10):
received a promotion. Congratulations, thankyou, So tell us a little bit
about that. Yeah, Kenny,I joined the March of Dimes in January
as the chief mental officer, andover the last six months, after looking
under the hood, really right,getting involved and being here and doing some
of the things like being on WallStreet for our venture capital fund. We

(01:32):
have a philanthropic fund. I wasat the gala in our nation's capital trying
to speak to and then you know, trying to fund raise, and then
also I actually testified on the hilland after doing a lot of that,
thinking, you know, can Ilean in even more? I was in.
I was this is the platform thatwe need. I needed to be

(01:53):
at and long discussion of my familywith the opportunity, uh and you know,
really thought, what in my career, what better place to be than
the March of Benimes. There isn'tAnd to have a bigger platform to influence
all of women, which I've beendoing in my career in a different way.
If you had said to me,you know, I wouldn't be at

(02:14):
the bedside ten years ago, Iwould have laughed you out of the room.
So or in the o R oryou know, in my office.
So yeah, it was a littlebit about what am I going to write
on my tombstone when I'm done?And I think it was also just the
opportunity, the unbelievable opportunity. I'msuper humbled that I'm I'm here today is

(02:34):
the chief executive officer. Yeah,and the first one in the organization that
has been a physician. Yeah,thanks for pointing that out. Yeah,
which I was a little shocked onwhen they've and the first vice president medical
Affairs at the March of Times wasa woman named Virginia Apgar and appcar scores
when your babies are born. Imean, she was a big proponent and
a pediatric and acesiologist. So andactually from Johns Hopkins, which is where

(02:59):
I did my under graduate career andwhere I got my MBA. So I
find it kind of full circle thatI'm the first physician still have that Hopkins
background. But yeah, and thatI'm leading an organization both you know,
from a clinical viewpoint advantage, whichyou know, have been humbled to do
for the last you know, almostthirty years of my career is slivering moms

(03:19):
and mom you know, helping momsand babies, but then shifting to you
know, more on the finance andbusiness and strategy. Yeah, yeah,
it's it's crazy, yeah and wonderful. Thank so, congratulations again and I
know you all just released your MaternalYeas report. We did and it's well
so it's embargoed right now, butit will land when I think this launches,

(03:40):
so um it comes out August first, and it is an incredible amount
of work that our data team hasput together. It is looks at all
fifty states Puerto Rico and you canthink of something as well as watching DC,
it also goes into states. Thinkabout all Alaska and think about Hawaii.

(04:02):
When I say what these aims were, it's about miles to that you
have to travel to deliver your baby. So planes, trains and automobiles is
like the first thing that comes tomy mind and I think about flying and
because we had to sort of pivotand when we started looking at that data,
but we're also looking at you know, levels in the community. So

(04:25):
you're talking about socioeconomic issues. Sowe're just talking about everything from the environment
to so it's pollution and it's poverty. We also look at things like race.
We also look at and really fascinatinglooking at moms and what their chronic
health conditions are and how much thatcontributes to preterm birth. Fascinating. And

(04:48):
then the last thing we talk aboutand then report is on telehealth and we
talk about what it is in eachof those states, but it's also about
what we should be doing or couldbe doing better in those states. Work
an advocate for that, so it'sreally in depth. It's five pages within
every state, with all those counties. I'm incredibly proud. I will also
tell you it's overwhelming the amount ofdata. As I came in today,

(05:12):
I was like, Oh, Ican't remember all these numbers, So I'm
so glad to have them in frontof me. Yeah, because there's a
lot with it. So where doesthis How long does it take to compile
this type of data? Ask agreat question. So the data we have
here comes from twenty one twenty two. It is an ongoing thing that our
Paria Natal Data Science Center does.So you can actually on August first,

(05:34):
anyone can go on our website andactually download it for their state if they
want. But to your answer yourquestion, we put out one on an
annual basis this one has taken thelat This is a sub report if you
will, that this team has beenworking out for the last year and it's
been lots of challenges that we've had, you know, and my participation in

(05:57):
the last six months. It's reallylooking at you know, flying in Hawaii
or looking at travel time in Alaska, and how do we compare this the
right way? And how do wemake sure our data is adequate? And
then we're talking about it in theright way as we're watching counties and hospitals
clothes and then some counties increase andso how does that really how do we
you know, really look at itand talk about it in the right way?

(06:20):
Is what takes so long? Soit's not and then we have to
produce it so um and you canimagine we're not really we don't you know,
we're not huge publishing capabilities, sowe've had to really look and get
funded for that. And then whowhere does it go? Like I know
it gets published online, but likewho uses this data? And then what
is it helpful? And to understandKenny, great question. M So,

(06:42):
first of all, all of ourpartners we get back to with us.
We also go to legislators at everystate think about if you are looking at
a state and saying, okay,I'll take Alabama for instance, you know
where should we launch our next mobileunit. Where should we start to fundraise
and think about getting to these womenwho don't have places that are driving miles
and miles. So if you lookat the southwest corner of Alabama and you

(07:05):
can visually see this on the report, that red hot ariat counties where they're
driving much further than they are,say in Birmingham. So if you look
at it, sixty percent of ourcounties are rural that don't have that our
maternity care desert, but forty percentare actually in cities. So it really
should inform us about what we shouldbe doing and where we should be going

(07:27):
with solutions. It's going to takea lot of different solutions. There's not
just one. I mentioned the mobileunit. That's one thing we do in
particular, but it's really thinking abouttelehealth right where is it available? Where
is it not available? It's notactually in every state, isn't reimbursed.
So where can we start to reallyput boots on the ground to have a
conversation, get volunteers to really startspeaking about where we need to do this

(07:49):
because it's an alternative to hands oncare. Sure, I want to take
a deep dive into the report.So some of the findings I want you
to help us kind of break downa little bit. And I'm speaking specifically
to New York in this case.So I read here there are four point
zero tile X clinics per one hundredthousand women in New York compared to five
point three per one hundred thousand inthe US overall. What does that mean?

(08:15):
So yeah, right, because whenyou start looking at data, is
like, okay, what does thismean? It means New York is doing
actually pretty well. So when youstart looking at where the deserts are in
New York versus and again we lookat miles drive, we're looking at the
counties where they're actually are deserts,and then you're you're looking at specifically for
reproductive care. So that that's oneof the data points that we looked at

(08:37):
that you're talking about. So theyactually New York as a state actually has
done better than say lots of otherscompared to the average in the United States.
So that that and I actually broughtsome of the data for New York
because I can't remember at all.So three point two percent of counties are
defined as matunity care deserts in NewYork compared to thirty two point six percent

(08:58):
in the total of you So ifyou just take your state, you know,
to me, can we get downless than one percent? Right?
Like that? Obviously, right,that would be the ideal goal. But
you're you're hovering down on the lowerside. So that's a good thing.
I think this is a data point. You were pointing out the four point
two percent of women had no birthinghospital within thirty minutes, compared to eleven
point seven percent in the United States. That's that's pretty good. We want

(09:22):
it down to less. But Ilet you know this is encouraging. I
would say the twelve point five percentof birthing people received inadequate premial care,
and again that's less than the USoverall. But realize that women who do
not have premial care or three tofour more times more likely to die than
the women who do receive prenaial care. That's a big statistic should think about.

(09:45):
And so, and that's why we'readvocating for all of this today.
Right, and so, overall,women in New York have a very low
vulnerability index to adverse outcomes do theavailability of the reproductive healthcare services. So
that's these are wins. And thenwomen with chronic health conditions have a fifty
seven percent increased likelihood of preterm birthcompared to women with none. And realize

(10:09):
that in specifically we've looked at thisas chronic health condition, could be hypertension,
diabetes, obesity. Every time thatstatistic increases your risk of preterm birth
quite significantly goes from sort of thenational eight percent to eleven percent to eighteen
percent when you start adding on thoseconditions, and we see more conditions significantly

(10:33):
affecting in maturity care deserts. Sowell, yeah, lots of data here,
lots to dive into, which isgreat because I think, which is
one of the reasons why it wasimportant for us to partner with you as
a platform, is we wanted credibility, right, We wanted to be telling
these stories. We wanted to bemaking sure this conversation went to the forefront,
but we wanted to make sure thatstatistically we could back it up with

(10:56):
experts and information and data, right, because we story is great, right,
but we need to understand our whyand like why we're moving in the
direction that we're moving in. Yeah, and I think you have to be
so. So first of all,I gave me chills that that was a
first. Um. So why I'mhere, That's why I'm leaning in and
joined you in like February March,right, Um, and this being here

(11:18):
and really getting two people the data, explaining the why behind the data because
you can look at numbers and notunderstand it or Okay, we're all great
because we're actually better in New Yorkthan on the places. Well, you
know what, there's still work tobe done. Yeah, because every mom
deserves the same outcome. And soI love that you're partnering with us and

(11:39):
like that we're getting out there andreally excited that really at the end of
the year we're launching our mobile unit. I hope you invite us back for
sure with New York Presbyterian and soand super excited. We have great partnership
there. First, we have alocal board here that is really working hard
fundraising and I'll have to give hima shout out out because they're they're quite

(12:01):
impressive. Um. And then thesecond part is the partners we've brought in
for ultrasounds for which is Phillips.I mean they we are super excited that
they're helping us with ultrasound machines.That's wonderful. So getting corporations, getting
volunteers, getting to the pit,it's just it all. Somebody asked me
this the other day, so Ihave to bring it up. But maybe
it's in this lovely heat today.UM what lane does the March of Times

(12:22):
swim down? And I um Ialways like to say, no, we're
the swimming pool right because we're theconvener. We like to bring people together
and so we can we can fundall the data, we can fund all
the corporations together, the volunteers,get the healthcare and and bring that really
you know, um, I hopeeighty five years strong history of being a

(12:43):
good partner both in the community witheveryone to be able to drive these out
you know, to drive outcomes better. Sure, So what is the next
phase of like the work at Marchof Dimes, look like we have all
this wonderful data and information, Sonow what do we do with this law?
Yeah, Kenny, it's a greatquestion. So we continue to do

(13:03):
education and advocacy and research. We'regoing to continue to do this data,
we need to publish more of it. We have a lot more to publish.
I actually just left my PDCD theresearch team to continue to do that.
So this is one avenue of research. We also do basic science research
as well, and I don't wantto underestimate that with our because that's kind
of our foundation with a polio vaccine. But then really thinking about how do

(13:26):
we take this data and be informedin the programs we're doing. So I
mentioned the Mobile Healthcare Unit because thatis what we do. We also do
a lot and I mentioned the philanthropicventure capital fund. I love that we're
this is what we do. Weactually have a VC company where we've closed
three companies. So we have afund that we really accelerate technologies, therapies,

(13:54):
therapeutics, to accelerate them to commercialization, to get them in the hands
of women faster. So and wecan do that because we have funding,
right, we have funders who arereally interested in this. What's really great
is that we can pick out companiesbecause we've got experts in the field,
because we across universities that have volunteeredtheir time with us to really vet these

(14:18):
startups and then get them out inthe communities where where we have partners to
get them in the hands of thewomen sooner. And you know, I'm
not going to push the NIH tothe FDA faster, but we can get
right as soon as that's happened.Is to get them out to doing research,
to get the numbers in the outcomesdata faster and get it in the
hands because I think it could reallyclose some of the gaps that we've seen.

(14:41):
And so that's an exciting kind ofwhat we do. But fundamentally,
we do a ton of education.So we do a ton of group prenatal
care. We do a lot whichjust educating professionals, which we've done a
lot. We've done everything from Aplusit biased training, which you can go
on our website and get all ofthis, but it's things we are continuing

(15:01):
to push and we're doing a lotof DULA work and really excited about that.
Yeah, I actually saw you alland you had an activation at the
Glow Maven DULA Expo that was inNew York City. Yeah, I'm sorry
I missed you there. I wasactually I can't remember where I was,
but I was. I had toOh, I was American college movie Duant,
which maybe I should have gone onthe DULA expo, but don't tell

(15:22):
anybody. We're only un tell thatI'm on radio. So one of the
things that is, you know,deep in my heart, is that we've
got a better outcome, And sohow do we have the voice right as
a practitioner who's been doing this fora long time, how do I how
do we better outcomes? We knowDula's work. They're not the solo you

(15:43):
know, soul answers, but weknow there's now a demand. We're seeing
it right as this is becoming reallyreally in the limelight. As one solution,
the other is that we need tomake sure the supply and then we
need to make sure we don't burnout. We need so we sustain.
And then lastly, if this isgoing to be your career choice, how

(16:04):
do we make sure it's a scalableand sustainable for women who choose to do
this And a lot of women chooseto be Dula's for multiple reasons, but
aren't doing it really full time orable to dive in because they don't get
the support. And we need tobe good partners to be able to put
that together. So we we actuallylaunched a really large project with CBS and

(16:27):
so a multiple year to really lookat everything I just mentioned for DULAS and
really looking forward to seeing that cometo fruition and watching it launch. And
we're doing it in a couple abouteleven markets across the United States. Yeah,
and we're also watching companies turn aroundand say, hey, what is

(16:48):
the March of Dimes doing here?And maybe we should start funding for DULAS
And so how do we connect thosedots of saying hey, you're actually your
your company does this, or howdo we get to others to say you
need to start doing this right?And that's that's exciting to watch that thread
being pulled, because I do thinkit's a lever that we as a Marchidimes
can pull um to kind of pushfor in the right way to get to

(17:14):
get to those solutions. Sure.Yeah, I was having a conversation with
one of your board members who washere, Oh, Tanya Lee. Yeah,
she's my favor yes, And shemade a really great point about,
you know, utilizing duelas to fillin some of those gaps right when it
comes to maternal healthcare deserts. Soit's interesting to kind of look at it
that. Yeah, and think aboutobstetricians or burning out too. And I

(17:38):
talked about this all the time,being one of them who certainly has been
exhausted and tired in her career,is thinking about how best do we help
patients. I should be working atthe top of my license, so should
buy advanced practitioners are midwives, arephysicians, assistants, nurse practitioners. And
then there's duelas there's a there andhow do we make sure that integration in

(18:03):
our system of dula's is UM appropriateand accepted and that has to be and
that that that's a real issue,UM that I from the provider side sale
time hospitals need to accept it andproviders need to be more accepting and so
we need to push all of that. Yeah, and we're starting to do
it. Yeah. Tanya Lye isUM is a great advocate for that and

(18:26):
actually I love she and I havea conversation every board meeting about midwives.
UM. I was trained by midwives. I trained in the University of Rochester
and I can even name five ofthem. There were eight on staff.
That was bit and I'm old,so you know this is back last century,
UM, And now watching you know, And I worked with midwives throughout

(18:47):
my career and think and I've I'vehad patients looking at me going, you're
not my midwife. I'm like,no, I'm not. Yeah, And
so I'm a huge advocate for midwivesand and getting them they I used to
tell my patients all the time,you're going to get so much better education
from them than from me. Andit was a hard reality to say out
loud. But it's just a differentapproach. Yeah, and it's okay.

(19:11):
Yeah, I had to say it'sokay. It's very transparent. Oh.
I think we as opportacitions have tobe vulnerable in that way. I was
trained to use force ups. Iwas trained to do c sections. Yes,
I can catch a baby, butI'm windwives can too, and I
can be their back up and betheir support and we can work together and
let me work at the top ofmy license. There's not many people trained

(19:33):
in force ups, so we won'thave to go in that direction anymore.
But yeah, but knowing that that, that's something we have to accept as
obstetricians. And there's a lot inthere. There's a lot baked in there
when it comes to sort of financialsand everything else, but because of course
I go back to my business now. But but yeah, I think I
think um Tanya and I have areally good dialogue about how do we continue

(19:53):
to advocate that together, and shehit a nail on the head that we
need to be able to be inthis whole together, you know, for
the solutions. Yeah, And Ilove to kind of hear that. It's
reassuring to hear it from a physician, right, that perspective on Dula's in
Midwese, because I think there's alot of misconceptions when it comes to the

(20:14):
role and what an important role thatthey play when it comes to maternal healthcare.
So I love to hear you validatethat. Yeah, And I think
for so I personally, like Isaid, I'll tell you I was trained
on I remember the first shoulders ofsocia. I saw so right baby not
being able to come out of thebirth canal of vagina, And I was
trained by a midwife on really onsome maneuvers that it just struck me,

(20:38):
like I've talked about it quite abit in my career that that's who really
trained me on the first time thatthat had happened. And so I and
I am sure the people in Rochesterright now are they? You know,
it is a huge It's not justa financial solution, it's or our patient
solutions. So it's it's a winwin in a lot of ways. But

(20:59):
for me, and I think forall of us, it's also looking at
what is our training right and howcan we really support one another and stop
being competitive because we need to bein this together to be a solution together.
Um So, certified nursemen wives tome are are fantastic. I mean
and again I practice in New Jerseywhere um that you know their license there.
It's it's different models in every state. Sure, um so when and

(21:22):
I didn't know that right in mycareer. I knew that as I started
training and went from practicing in NewYork to practicing in New Jersey really different.
Um and I practice in the South, so I practice in Alabama and
it's just different in geographies, whichI think that you know back to the
report, Yeah, and that it'sjust different, um and what we support
and what we don't support, whatthings and we can learn from each other

(21:45):
to be able to find, youknow, get to those solutions. Was
there anything from the report that stoodout to you? Or that you found
very interesting or even shocking. Umso, so the chronic health conditions,
I definitely it's not that I didn'tknow that. It's just hard to see
those numbers and I don't want tosay it's exponential, but I was thinking

(22:07):
about it. My math brain tookover of like I'd like, you know,
maybe we need to really map thatout a little bit, because it
is really goes fast. I thinkthe other data point actually that I circled
was that eight out of ten maturingcare deserts have a high percentage of women
with one or more chronic health condition, so they're from a clinical stamp.
We've got to solve for that.So that's the diabetes, the hypertension that

(22:33):
we need to have better solutions for. I would also say to you the
Native American population, so we don'ttalk about enough. And I've worked in
the Indian Health Service too, wayback when as a medical student out in
Montana, and so I think itstrikes accord with me again on a personal
note, that these people receive thehighest rate of no preenial care and that's

(23:00):
hard to like. Yeah, andagain back to we know those are the
worst outcomes. Black women are next, and so you're talking about twenty seven
percent, twenty one percent in thesematurity care it starts to become shockingly at
odds of what we need to doin this country. So I would say
some of that, those data pointsstart to get me motivated. I guess

(23:26):
the shock wears off and then it'sokay, we need to be doing more.
I think it's a march of times. We have to do more there
too, and we have to bebetter in our communities, in these communities
specifically, and one of the pointsof being here, but more importantly of
really kind of stepping back and somethingI'll be looking at, just as in
my new role of what we reallyneed to be doing. Have being a
physician, right, like you havea different perspective and a different lens right

(23:51):
when it comes to a lot ofthese issues that are going on in regards
to the maternal healthcare crisis. Howdoes that help you be a better ce?
Oh like, be a better leaderwhen it comes to dealing with these
issues at the forefront. Yeah,I mean, I I've I can talk
about all I've done all of it, you know, I feel and I
you know that's not a pompous statementthat's just I've I've done it. I've

(24:14):
went through medical school, residency,I work, I was at the bedside,
I've worked in really different UM places. UH, so I can talk
about that. I can talk aboutit from a provider standpoint and also what
the marchup times role should be UM, because we're not providers and that that's
important. UM. But I canbring that perspective. UM. And I

(24:36):
sort of chuckle less six months.I'm you know, I've worked, UM,
I've worked in the prison system.I've worked, so I have a
lot of knowledge. I'm not amassive public health you know, I didn't
work in in a country or ayou know, different country than this,
or but I've done different aspects ofit. I think that rounds out my
UM, who I am and whatI bring to the job. I'm gonna

(24:57):
be honest. I think it's mylead ship, uh, you know,
running an emergency C section or Ithink about women that I've taken care of
that have almost died and having tolead the room. UM, what it
takes to step up and what andbeing vulnerable about what you know and what
you don't know. UM. Havingincredible gratitude for the team that does this

(25:22):
work is really important and I Iso, I think I take the skills
that I've learned as a physician andapply them and I, you know,
I go wrote back to a coupleof really tough deliveries or tough outcomes or
how to tell somebody some really hardnews and use those skills, those same
skill sets um that you know Ienjoyed for the almost thirty years, but

(25:42):
be able to do that, andI M I think I'm I enjoy hearing
now what people from the outside thehealthcare system are trying to do and how
to connect those dots to make surewe're successful. And again what lane should
we run? Like that that camefrom another physician, where what do you
guys do? Because the polio history, right, we you know, Marshadimes

(26:07):
has had a good and bad problem. We solved for polio, right,
we helped fund that research. Sohow do we and we're in it for
the long haul, right, Sohow do we really be a good partner
and lead with excellence? And wehave a great national reputation. We need
to have a really good reputation inthe community. And I think one of

(26:30):
the things as a physician and Italked about with my team a lot.
Accountabilities are really important. You haveto do what you say you will do,
and you have to act with integrity. We have to connect with each
other as humans. There's a there'sa lot in that and I and I
really believe in those things. SoI think that's and part of that's just

(26:51):
who I've become as a leader overthe years. Yeah, so thanks for
asking that. That was not whatI expected today, Kenny, but it
was really personal, so I appreciateit. Welcome, You're welcome. So
let's fast forward a little bit,right, Yeah, So let's say this
report's coming out next year, whichit's going to come out again. Yeah,
statistically, if you had to picka thing, right, what would

(27:11):
you like to see make a positiveshift? Oh? Um, I'd love
to see the no prenantal care ratechange because that could think that could make
a big impact right away. Um, that would be one I would love
And I'm because I'm gonna get greedyand ask for two more. I'd like
to see the closing of hospital unitsstabilize um and so and and that's not

(27:37):
looking at what's opening. I don'tjust like to the units that are what
we need to solve for that.So when you start thinking about that and
we've got some of these solutions,you know, we have different models of
care than we had when I wasin training, and my training, you
know, you practiced, you didn'thave a laborist or a hospitalist in in
in the hospital. So how canwe really fear at that solution out?

(28:00):
So that those would be the twothat I'd like to see. And I'm
not asking for, you know,massive changes because we know and in the
next year it's not going to bemassive increments, but I'd love to see
those would be the two. Yeah, that's great. And then when it
comes to because I know March ofDimes offers implicit bias training, right,
do you use any of this reportingor data? Does this get shown like

(28:23):
is it taught in a way whereit might help alter Yeah, so we
do use our own data in ourplusit biased training. There is a lot
more that needs to be done.We actually part I mean with our thousands
of partners, get will be gettingthis sent to them, Some get sent
to them, some it's just referto the website. But really the details

(28:44):
here our implicit biased training. It'sinteresting how people have used it for us.
We have great partners that have launchedit with for professionals, more needs
to be done. Others have builttheir own after we've you know, we
we sort of start the trend.Let's put that way. UM. But
this data needs to inform a lotof things, and I think it's going

(29:07):
to be I think that's what's sothis is so vast, so deep,
UM, that it's going to beinteresting to see who ends up partnering with
us and actually make that an invitationfor people to want to and you know,
to change these numbers. What's agood partnership look like for you?
You're such a good interviewer account thankyou. UM. So listen, we're
a non for profit, right andso we have basic fundraiting needs UM for

(29:34):
staffing and uh so, so apartner that wants to you know, fund
our bottom line is fantastic. Butalso then UM thinks about funding a program.
So if it's not like a CBSthat wants to do duel a work
with us UM, and we cameto them and said this is what we
think we could do, and reallywalked through what we thought we could do

(29:56):
UM our mobile units. I don'twant to be owning twenty you know,
we shouldn't go into the bus business, but the delivery care, like could
we be the coordinator of that maternalcare actually in mobile units only two percent
of mobile units, so that that'sa space that we need more partners in
UM. I'd love to see UM. You know, some payers step up

(30:19):
to and they're doing great jobs fundingsome of that, but really talking about
sharing the data because if we couldget that together, how much we could
help really inform And we're in themiddle right we're just that convener to get
some of the solutions UM. Youknow, we're we're working on a bigger
campaign at the end of the yearon low dose aspirin UM. We have

(30:41):
a one of our research centers outon the West Coast is doing a ton
of work here and really trying toget funding and partnership and more of a
national campaign on that. So moreto come. But thinking partnership is can
you help fund us in the rightway? Can you also really can we
be real tangible about what programs wewant to do UM And that's for us

(31:02):
to be a partner into UM.And then I think it's important to be
in the community as I mentioned,and and really get the evaluation of that
program, which we have an evaluationteam, UM, but really to get
the stories behind, right, andand the lives UM that are affected by
the programs we're doing, to reallycome back to the table with that data

(31:23):
and that that's what I think about, and I think about putting these programs
to sure sure the money I haveto talked about first. Yeah, I
get it. We need money tomake things move. I know, yeah
really, And you know, it'sit's been interesting UM as a non for
profit to sort of shift from youknow, and it's about breaking even and
fundraising not not something you know thatI'm used to, but now now doing

(31:47):
and asking people for money is crazy. So yeah, and think about it
as a physician, I'd be like, Okay, go talk to the finance
department, right, so right,go talk to the biller. Right.
So different than UM, but butI will tell you the shift to having
that conversation as a physician, right, had to be sustainable in a business,

(32:07):
right, because that's what practices areor have to be in hospitals.
The same way is that that conversationnow has to be I think more on
that table or at least some morecomfortable talking about it, I guess yeah,
so yeah, yeah, So beforewe close outs, we take oh
wow, yeah, we we alwayshave these great conversations. Whereat very easy.
I love it. It is soeasy, and you are fabulous.

(32:29):
Your questions are spot on and somethat no one has asked. And I've
been doing this, I've been doingyou know, pre interviews to the launch
of this and and I just itgives I love it. So please have
me back. Thank you, yankyou very comfortable. So just a quick
takeaway before we close out. Whyshould someone be reading this report? Who

(32:49):
should be reading this report? Everyone? Yeah? Yeah, I mean,
if you're if you're a provider,if you're a patient, whether you're in
North Dakota, which travel time isn'tcrazy, right, one hundred and fifty
two miles to go to your appointment. We've got to get a solution for
that woman, right, And there'smore than one, you know, if
you're an advocate and you really wantto help, there are lots we can

(33:15):
do. If you're you're talking aboutif you're in New Mexico where the least
amount of prenell cares being served,right, I mean, so everyone,
this is across all states. Soand it's what partners can we bring to
the table and whether you're and I'vementioned a few great ones that I've stepped
forward, but UM, I knowthey are more out there that are working

(33:36):
in this space and we want towork with them. So UM but thinking
about um, you live here,this is going to tell you what maternal
health is happening. And you maysay, Okay, does everybody care about
maternal They should. Moms and rightare the entryway into healthcare for families.
They make most of the decisions forthe health for the health of their family.

(33:59):
That's huge. So if they're makingsixty seventy percent of all those decisions,
that this is the health of thosemoms. Um. So yeah,
when I think about who should lookat I mean it's across the spectrum.
Um, everybody should be looking atthis report. I think everybody will be,
especially if they start to look init because you can get so regional.
We all want to look as youwent right to New York data,

(34:20):
UM, but really stepping back andtake a look at some of the other
states that maybe you've been to ortraveled or know someone in or have a
family member in. UM, you'llbe You'll be surprised, but I think
we've got um. I think it'sall aspects, whether it's you know,
from business to philanthropics to UM tomoms yeah, um, and to dad's

(34:40):
I shouldn't shouldn't say, and youknow, across the country, I would
say to you that that you know, we want everybody looking at this data.
Great. Yeah, and where canthey find it? Uh, Marcherdimes
dot org. And there's a backslashof the mc DR Maturity Care Desert Report.
Um. If you just google oldMarch of Dimes and get to that

(35:01):
website, you'll find the Maturity CareDesert Report. We're highlighting it Saturday next
month. Yeah, thanks so much. Oh my gosh, thank you.
Thank you for your partnership. Imean, thank you for everything you're doing.
Congratulations on your promotion and all thegood things are just happening to you.
Thank you, Kenny, appreciate it. No, I love these conversations.

(35:22):
Hope we have many more. FindI not far right across the tunnel.
Oh right, you're in the area. Oh so you can go by
any time. Yeah, I meaneither in DC or in New Jersey.
So yeah, if not traveling outto our markets. But yeah, so
I love to come back, lovethe conversations, love that you're highlighting this
so thank you so much, andthanks for being a partner with us,
of course, of course a lot. Yes, thank you so much.

(35:42):
You're listening to Meternal here on iHeartRadio. You can go to Meeternal dot info
to learn about everything that iHeartRadio andMarch of Dimes is doing in the Black
maternal health space to help support mothersof color. Consistent equitable access to maternity
care helps women maintain optimal health,as well as reducing the risk of experiencing

(36:05):
complications during pregnancy in the postpartum period. This conversation will help examine community level
factors associated with access to care andidentifying vulnerable populations to provide a better context
around barriers to receiving appropriate care.