The shift to virtual care during the pandemic has necessitated unprecedented approaches to patient experience and engagement challenges. Managing the health of vulnerable patients with chronic illnesses like diabetes virtually is of particular concern. Emily Dumas, Manager of Care Transitions at the University of Alabama Birmingham Medical Center, discusses the need for engaging accessible tools, and what works and what doesn't work when it comes to supporting, engaging, activating, coaching, and ultimately partnering with patients.

Organizations must combat inequity by better meeting patients where they are. As healthcare leaders, we are only just beginning to understand the importance of inclusivity when conducting a structural assessment of your institution’s readiness for doctors and patients with disabilities. As organizations struggle to support clinicians’ mental health and address burnout post-pandemic, it is important to explore ways to make the profession accessible to physicians with disabilities. Dr. Poullos, founder and Co-Chair of the Stanford Medicine Abilities Coalition (SMAC), a group composed of people with disabilities and their allies at Stanford Medicine, shares his vision for a digitally-enabled inclusive healthcare system and how organizations can combat inequity by better meeting patients where they are.