How to Achieve Health Justice with Dr. Omolara Uwemedimo

Success in healthcare is not measured solely in patient numbers but in the positive impact, we make on the communities we serve. In our world, not everyone has the same chance to be healthy. Some people face obstacles that make it harder for them to access good healthcare and live a healthy life. Certain groups of people have their health at risk due to unfair barriers and unequal opportunities, making it difficult for them to afford their needed medicine.

Moreover, it is vital to realize that health injustice happens to many people not because they don’t care about their health but because of specific reasons including the place they were born, their income, or even the color of their skin. Hence, to fix these problems, we must work towards a healthcare system that goes beyond just treating illnesses but also addresses the root causes of health inequalities. Because at the end of the day, healthcare is a right and not a privilege determined by one's background or circumstances.

Dr. Omolara Uwemedimo is a healthcare founder, social entrepreneurship coach, healthcare practice funding consultant, and growth strategist for women of color in healthcare. Her career as a pediatrician spans almost 2 decades and includes her work as a public health researcher & professor for over a decade. Her work has been defined by a passion for social justice, serving as an advocate and working as a global physician across sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. Dr. Omolara co-founded Strong Children Wellness which provides integrated physical health, mental health, and social services for minoritized, low-income children and families. She founded Melanin & Medicine which helps mission-driven practices secure capital without incurring debt or diluting equity. Dr. Uwemedimo is an expert in purpose-led entrepreneurship, securing funding for healthcare, addressing medical racism for marginalized providers and patients, and building socially responsive healthcare spaces.

In this special episode with Dr. Omolara Uwemedimo, we will learn about the journey of a remarkable woman who has not only embraced diverse roles in healthcare but has also pioneered innovative approaches to address the needs of the underserved. The conversation highlights her dedication to healthcare, her global perspective, and her commitment to health equity and justice. She also shares insights about the challenges faced by under-resourced communities and how we can collaborate across various sectors to create meaningful and sustainable change. Join us for a captivating discussion that explores Dr. Uwemedimo's commitment to serving underserved communities and her impactful contributions to the field.

“I found that clinical medicine had this challenging piece where you could do good work in under-resourced areas but the system always was the issue.” – Dr. Omolara Uwemedimo

Topics Covered:

(00:00:42) Introducing our special guest, Dr. Omolara Uwemedimo

(00:02:00) The Passionate Pediatrician: Who is Dr. Omolara Uwemedimo?

(00:03:35) What led Dr. Omolara to practice medicine in Sub-Saharan Africa?

(00:05:37) Getting out of the box

(00:08:33) The Strong Children Wellness

(00:10:31) Opening a practice during the pandemic

(00:14:23) Pediatric-focused but family-centered

(00:16:34) Quick Reminder: Are you enjoying this episode? Please share it, leave a five-star review, and give feedback. Go to TimeOut with the SportsDr website.

(00:17:21) Making money while serving the underserved

(00:18:53) Funding sources

(00:22:26) BIPOC: Black, Indigenous, People of Color

(00:24:02) Final TimeOut with Dr. Omolara Uwemedimo: What steps do we have to do to have health equity in the United States?

(00:26:33) Seeing patients is not enough

(00:27:23) Visit the Strong Children Wellness website

Key Takeaways: 

“Many times, we think as physicians, we have a box and we try to stay in it. And you're always told that life outside the box can be scary so we just go to school, we finish training, we pray for a job that works out.” – Dr. Derrick Burgess

“The way I practice medicine is very globally informed and outside of the box. There's so much that we do in medicine that we don't even realize comes from the ingenuity of how people were working in Sub-Saharan Africa.” – Dr. Omolara Uwemedimo

“One of the beautiful things though about this time of the pandemic was that it reminded me of caring in global health and the way that like things needed to move urgently, we needed to move in and out.” – Dr. Omolara Uwemedimo

“Nobody else wants to take care of kids, but they don't want to pay pediatricians their worth.” – Dr. Derrick Burgess

“My favorite part about my work was not like physical primary care but the relationships and trying to find all of these supports for families because that was what catapulted them to changed their outcomes and change their health outcomes.” – Dr. Omolara Uwemedimo

“Some people say that in business, the scariest number in business is one because if one person, one revenue stream, there's always that ability for there to be a loophole.” – Dr. Omolara Uwemedimo

“A lot of us underestimate how much we've developed and how much we have that is important and can be leveraged to nonprofits who are serving the populations.” – Dr. Omolara Uwemedimo

“Health equity means that within what we have right now, how the structure is then let's provide certain additional things or certain populations who aren't getting the same access, who aren't getting the same outcomes.” – Dr. Omolara Uwemedimo

“Seeing patients is not enough. The charge that we have is to be able to take care of our community.” – Dr. Derrick Burgess

Connect with Dr. Omolara Uwemedimo:

Website: https://strongchildrenwellness.com/; https://melaninandmedicine.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melaninmedicineco/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrOmolara/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dromolara/

Email: @melaninandmedicine.co

Connect with Dr. Derrick Burgess:

Website: https://www.drderrickthesportsdr.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drderrickthesportsdr/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TimeOut.SportsDr

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrick-burgess-72047b246/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHGDu1zT4K_X6PnYELu8weg

Email: thesportsdoctr@gmail.com

This episode of TimeOut with the SportsDr. is produced by Podcast VAs Philippines - the team that helps podcasters effectively launch and manage their podcasts, so we don't have to. Record, share, and repeat! Podcast VAs PH gives me back my time so I can focus on the core functions of my business. Need expert help with your podcast? Go to www.podcastvasph.com.