What About Rural Health?™

When Jack Clifford was told he needed open-heart surgery after being diagnosed with a blocked "widowmaker" artery, he chose a path few patients ever hear about. His decision led him to Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP). a little-known, non-invasive therapy that changed his life and sparked a mission to make it accessible to others.  In this episode, Jack shares his remarkable journey, expl...

 When Jack Clifford was told he needed open-heart surgery after being diagnosed with a blocked "widowmaker" artery, he chose a path few patients ever hear about. His decision led him to Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP). a little-known, non-invasive therapy that changed his life and sparked a mission to make it accessible to others.  In this episode, Jack shares his remarkable journey, exp...

 In this episode of Rethinking Rural Health Financing, we confront a difficult but necessary question: who truly pays for rural health? What begins as a viral budget controversy quickly unfolds into a deeper exploration of how healthcare is actually funded in Nigeria. Joined by public health expert Dr. Laz Ude, Public Health Physician, Founder and CEO of TalkHealth9ja, we uncover a complex system...

In this episode of Rethinking Rural Health Financing, we confront a difficult but necessary question: who truly pays for rural health? What begins as a viral budget controversy quickly unfolds into a deeper exploration of how healthcare is actually funded in Nigeria.  Joined by public health expert Dr. Laz Ude, Public Health Physician, Founder and CEO of TalkHealth9ja, we uncover a complex system...

Communities play a huge part in the lives of everyone, especially rural dwellers. Can community structures provide an out-of-the-box look at rural healthcare? Dr Moshood Olanrewaju, President of the Society for Community Research and Action, takes us back to the foundations of interactions among community members and with Mother Earth to offer a different perspective on addressing the well-being o...

Communities play a huge part in the life of everyone, especially rural dwellers. Can community structures provide an out-of-the-box look to rural healthcare? Dr Moshood Olanrewaju, President of the Society for Community Research and Action, takes us back to the foundations of interactions amongst members of communities and with Mother Earth to provide a different look at approaching the well-being...

Your healthcare costs are rising, and budget cuts are biting. Can the private practice model provide a safe landing for rural America? Dr Rishin Shah, a board-certified cardiologist and vascular specialist, provides insight into this model of healthcare practice. From Medical autonomy to insurance, and healthcare innovations and adaptations, Dr Shah uncovers what could be the revolutionary model o...

Your healthcare costs are rising, and budget cuts are biting. Can the private practice model provide a safe landing for rural America? Dr Rishin Shah, a board-certified cardiologist and vascular specialist, provides insight into this model of healthcare practice. From Medical autonomy to insurance, and healthcare innovations and adaptations, Dr Shah uncovers what could be the revolutionary model o...

Rural America is facing a growing crisis of healthcare access, from trained professionals, to financing, technological innovations to simplifying Healthcare complexities.  Our guest, Marschall S. Runge, M.D., PhD, is the executive vice president for Medical Affairs at the University of Michigan, dean of the Medical School, and CEO of Michigan Medicine. He opens up the inner workings of the medical...

Rural America is facing a growing crisis of healthcare access, from trained professionals, to financing, technological innovations to simplifying Healthcare complexities.  Our guest, Marschall S. Runge, M.D., Ph. D., is the executive vice president for Medical Affairs at the University of Michigan, dean of the Medical School, and CEO of Michigan Medicine. He opens up the inner workings of the medi...

Why does lung cancer receive disproportionately lower funding for research and treatment compared to every other form of cancer, despite being the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S.? Dr. Eugene Manley Jr., Founder and CEO of the STEMM & Cancer Health Equity Foundation (SCHEQ), explores the barriers, possibilities, and progress shaping the fight against lung cancer, particularly in unde...

 In the world of physical therapy, the rural communities are needier due to increased manual labour. How are rural dwellers able to survive the structure, barriers, policy hindering access to much needed care. David Jeter, a certified Manual Physical Therapist explains the misconceptions, complications and how physical therapy can aid long term care and improve functionality. #podcast #healthequit...

In the world of physical therapy, rural communities are in greater need due to increased manual labour. How are rural dwellers able to survive the structural barriers and policies hindering access to much-needed care? David Jeter, a certified Manual Physical Therapist, explains the misconceptions, complications, and how physical therapy can aid long-term care and improve functionality. #podcast #h...

Part B of the conversation: Nearly 66 million people live in rural America and more than half of rural hospitals are operating in the red. Still, the rural health system is being threatened by more health cuts. How are rural healthcare and it's dwellers navigating this tough terrain? LuAnn Kimker, a nurse by training and Senior Vice President at Azara Healthcare, explains the strides they take to...

Nearly 66 million people live in rural America and more than half of rural hospitals are operating in the red. Still the rural health system is being threatened by more health cuts. How are rural healthcare and it's dwellers navigating this tough terrain? LuAnn Kimker, a nurse by training and Senior Vice President at Azara Healthcare, explains the strides they take to survive. #podcast #healthequi...

In episode (B) of When Health Systems Fail, world-renowned cardiologist, Dr Peter Kowey, discusses the importance of individualized care in modern medicine. He explains how clinicians can move beyond rigid, algorithm-driven treatment models by engaging patients directly, understanding their unique conditions, and involving them in final care decisions. By strengthening these one-on-one relationshi...

In this episode (A) of Rethinking Rural Health Financing, world-renowned cardiologist, Dr Peter Kowey, explains the bureaucracy involved in achieving positive health system outcomes, especially with medical insurance companies.  He also laments the adverse effects the cut in Medicaid would bring to healthcare across America. #podcast #healthequity #ruralhealth #interview #healthcare Want to be a g...

A man sits in jail for murder because of a deaf misinterpretation. Listen to the story. #Deaf #story #ruralhealth #policy In part B of the conversation, Grace Lester talks about the nature of inclusivity, accomodation and the basic necessity of it. She also gives insight into her book, which dives into the stories and experiences of deaf people in incarceration and better approaches to creating a...

How do members of the deaf and disabled community navigate the health system in rural areas and structures? #healthequity #healthcare #deafcommunity #ruralhealth  Grace Lester, a clinician and advocate for Deaf communities, joins the podcast to shed light on the lives of the disabled in incarceration and in the community in general - their problems, peculiarities, and needs.  Subscribe, share your...

What does sustainable rural health financing look like in practice? In Part B of Bridging the Gap , we move from diagnosis to solutions. From a community in Kebbi State, Nigeria — where women created a database of unvaccinated children and actively requested immunisation services - to broader structural questions about political will and local ownership, this episode explores what actually makes r...

In this first episode of Rethinking Rural Health Financing , Bridging the Gap: Why Rural Health Needs Sustainable Funding , Chinasa speaks with Tariah Adams to unpack the structural reasons rural health financing continues to fail communities. Tariah explains how most rural health funding is misaligned—designed to respond to crises rather than stabilise health systems. She highlights how project-b...

Why does rural health remain underfunded - even when everyone agrees it matters?  In this opening monologue of Rethinking Rural Health Financing, Chinasa Imo sets the stage for a bold new podcast series that interrogates one of the most overlooked drivers of health inequity: how money moves, who controls it, and who is left out.  This episode challenges the assumption that rural health struggles a...

In Part Two of Resettled and Forgotten , Dr. Jessica Darrow unpacks what actually exists behind refugee and immigrant resettlement in the United States—and where the system still falls short. She explains the structures currently in place for refugee support across healthcare, housing, and social services, highlighting how government agencies partner with NGOs and caseworkers to provide entitlemen...

What happens after people flee violence, climate disasters, and instability — and where do they go when the headlines fade?  In this episode of What About Rural Health, we sit down with Dr. Jessica Darrow, Associate Instructional Professor at the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, to unpack the hidden layers of the global refugee and migration crisis, e...

In this thought-provoking episode of What About Rural Health? , host Chinasa Imo sits with Dr. Titilayo Ogumbambi, a public health expert whose work blends psychology, policy, and community development to reshape health outcomes in underserved areas. Dr. Titilayo breaks down the real barriers rural communities face — from lack of transportation and inadequate financing to shortages of skilled comm...