In February, the Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) program hosted its annual Women in Healthcare Luncheon. Each year, the MHA program invites a slate of impressive panelists to lead a discussion about important issues related to women in healthcare. This year was no exception, with panelists exploring the topic, “Breaking Down Barriers to Healthcare.” Panelists included:

  • Dr. Jessica Jones, MD, MSPH, Associate Professor, Division of Public Health, Department of Family and Preventative Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine
  • Dr. Teresa Molina, MSW, MBA, PhD, Associate Director, University Neighborhood Partners; Assistant Professor, College of Social Work, co-founder, Latino Behavioral Health Services
  • Anna Gallegos, MHA/MPH Candidate; Project Administrator, Patient Experience & Accelerate Learning Community, University of Utah Health

According to Jackie Rees, the associate director of the MHA program, the luncheon is always a great opportunity to bring people in all stages of their healthcare careers together to collaborate on solutions to current issues in the healthcare sector. “We were privileged to learn new ways to break down barriers to healthcare from the vast experiences of our amazing panelists,” states Rees. “It is incredible to see so many female leaders dedicated to improving healthcare access and delivery for every member of our community.”

Among the many important topics discussed at the event were:

  • The importance of bringing in stakeholders from underrepresented and underserved populations to learn what systems or processes are creating barriers to healthcare.
  • How collaborating with community organizations with related missions can increase access (e.g., partnering with the Utah Transit Authority to teach people how to access public transportation).
  • Suggestions for lessening the burden of responsibility for closing the gap from underserved populations. How can healthcare organizations and workers better utilize resources to assume the burden (i.e., explaining and understanding cultural differences, career needs, language barriers, etc.)?
  •  Ways to increase access to education and leadership opportunities within the healthcare system for underserved populations.

The event was attended by current MHA students and alumni, faculty, staff and students from the David Eccles School of Business, as well as community and business leaders. For more information about the event or the MHA program, please contact Ms. Rees at: Jackie.Rees@Eccles.Utah.edu.