What:  Justin Iwasaki -  Primary care innovation in the United States:  Tribal Health Centers + Affordable Care Act

When: Tuesday, Nov 25 at 12pm

Where: The Allen Center, CSE 203

Please join us for this weeks Change Seminar.  This week Justin Iwasaki MD MPH will be talking about exciting new opportunities for primary health care he is implementing as director of the Lummi Tribal Health Center on the Lummi Nation near Bellingham, WA.

Abstract:

The Affordable Care Act has created an unprecedented financial opportunity for Tribal Health Centers to be centers for primary care innovation. The Indian Health Service provides a capitated payment to Tribal Health Centers well above the range of most leading direct primary care organizations. With Medicaid expansion, many more tribal members have become eligible for benefits with very healthy reimbursement rates unique to Tribal Health Clinics. These two factors have created a financial model for Tribal Health Centers allowing them to fulfill many of the needs most primary care clinics cannot afford to provide.  The Lummi Nation has recognized these unique opportunities and is in the process of developing new methods for improving healthcare delivery to its people. We are exploring ways technology can address culturally appropriate strategies to answer two fundamental questions for our patients:

  1. Do I need to see a doctor?
  2. When and where should I be seen?

About the speaker:

Dr. Iwasaki is the Director of the Lummi Tribal Health Center located on the Lummi Nation near Bellingham, WA. The health center provides medical, dental, X-ray, laboratory, pharmacy, social work, behavioral health, and health benefits services to approximately 5000 Native American patients per year. Prior to this he completed a family medicine residency at the University of Washington with areas of concentration in global health and bioinformatics. He has worked across East Africa in healthcare delivery, social enterprise and impact investing. As a medical student he won Harvard Business School’s Social Venture Competition and launched a for-profit social enterprise in Tanzania to bring clean water to urban slums. Prior to medical school he worked in the design shop for the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH).