The arrival of several effective COVID-19 vaccines has brought long-awaited hope for a brighter, healthier future. But millions of Americans — including as much as one-third of healthcare workers — are reluctant or have already declined the vaccine. Herd immunity, better control of COVID-19, and the end of the pandemic are dependent on widespread vaccination, and time is of the essence. Is vaccine hesitancy an information issue, a trust issue, a policy issue, or something else? WellSky is bringing together three national healthcare leaders to discuss strategies for improving vaccine acceptance — especially among health and community care professionals — and the important role providers of all types can play in combating vaccine disinformation and misinformation.
Panelists:
- Anand Parekh, MD, Chief Medical Advisor, Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC): Dr. Parekh provides clinical and public health expertise to BPC, a Washington-DC based think-tank that combines the best ideas from both parties to promote health, security, and opportunity for all Americans. Throughout the pandemic, Dr. Parekh’s advocacy work has included calls for an apolitical vaccine distribution plan and a widespread public education campaign, with a particular focus on improving vaccine acceptance in high-risk individuals, underserved communities, and healthcare workers.
- Susan R. Bailey, MD, President, American Medical Association (AMA): Dr. Bailey leads AMA in its mission to promote the art and science of medicine and the betterment of public health. She has advocated for improving pandemic response coordination at the federal and state level and addressing the flaws in public health infrastructure that hinder progress. Dr. Bailey has worked to equip physicians with the inclusive and culturally relevant messaging needed to overcome distrust in the medical system amongst all patients, with an emphasis on Black, Latinx, and Indigenous communities.
- Bill Dombi, Esq., President, National Association of Home Care & Hospice (NAHC): As the leader of the largest organization for home health and hospice providers, Bill Dombi specializes in legal, legislative, and regulatory advocacy on behalf of patients and providers. Bill and NAHC leadership are actively promoting the importance of vaccination to association members and have gathered firsthand experiences of the successes and challenges members are facing as they work to improve vaccine acceptance within their organizations.
This webinar will be held on Wednesday, March 10, 2021 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET
Click here to register.