In this episode, Adaeze Enekwechi, PhD, MPP, President at IMPAQ joins the show to discuss the importance of lived experience when talking about social determinants of health. We discuss government programs and policies that challenge SDoH, innovative solutions that stand out, and where we're headed as an industry. 

To connect with Adaeze:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adaeze-enekwechi-phd/ 

Read Adaeze's article in Health Affairs: "It’s Time To Address the Role of Implicit Bias Within Health Care Delivery.”

Dr. Adaeze Enekwechi is the President of IMPAQ, a 400 person policy research and analytics firm that comprises three entities: IMPAQ International, a public policy research and analytics firm; Maher & Maher, a learning solutions provider; and ASCEND, a technology and information product company. 

Dr. Enekwechi provides strategic oversight of all research, technical assistance, and technology services across all policy and program areas, including health care, workforce development, social programs, and international development. 

Prior to joining IMPAQ, Dr. Enekwechi served as Vice President for Policy, Strategy, and Analytics with a consulting firm. She also served as the Associate Director for Health Programs at the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under President Obama. As the Federal government's chief health care budget official, she provided policy, management, and regulatory oversight for over $1 trillion in spending on a range of Federal programs, including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and all Federal health agencies. 

At the OMB, Dr. Enekwechi managed the review and approval of all major Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation reform proposals, Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015/Quality Payment Program rulemaking, and many Food and Drug Administration policies, Medicaid negotiations, Zika, and other public health funding requests. Dr. Enekwechi is highly experienced with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) implementation, playing a key role in driving ACA budget, policy, strategy, and operational coordination with various agencies, including the Department of Treasury, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Office of Personnel Management, among others. 

Dr. Enekwechi completed a BA at the University of Iowa, an MPP at the American University, and a PhD in Health Services and Policy from the University of Iowa. Her research area covers social determinants of health, long-term care, and evidence based policymaking. 

Dr. Enekwechi is a Research Associate Professor of Health Policy and Management at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University and was a Visiting Professor at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, TN. Her teaching focuses on Federal health policy, the US health care infrastructure, health equity, and evidence-based policymaking. She also serves on the boards of directors and advisors for a number of health care organizations.