While our nation’s health systems continue to make strides in the transition to value-based care, the glaring disparity between dollars spent on health care and the continued impact of social drivers on health outcomes persists.
Health care stretches far beyond the walls of clinics and hospitals, into people’s homes, neighborhoods, workplaces and communities. It encompasses the availability and access to housing, transportation, safety, education and employment. These factors are central to our health and well-being.
At Next Stage, we see the opportunity to redefine our understanding of health by recognizing the importance of these nonclinical factors. Around 80% of health outcomes are influenced by factors outside of traditional clinical care, so our concept of health must become broader.
A Tale of Two Zip Codes
As we expand our view of health, we must build consensus on the essential resources needed to create a more equitable and effective health system for all.
Let’s examine the health outcomes of two adjacent zip codes in North Carolina to explore how social drivers can influence health outcomes. The data visualization for neighboring areas in Durham County below marks a stark contrast in life expectancy.
- Census Tract 6 has a life expectancy of 82.4 years while neighboring Census Tract 5 has a life expectancy of only 71.3 years.
- Similarly, Census Tract 17.08 has a life expectancy of 80.4 years while nearby Census Tract 17.09 has a life expectancy of only 70.7 years.
For a closer look at these disparities, the Congressional District Health Dashboard offers a comprehensive comparison by district, highlighting the differences between adjacent census tracts.
Where you live significantly impacts your access to essential needs like fresh food, transportation, clean water, quality education, jobs and safe housing — all of which are shaped by public and private investment decisions. The consequences of these policy choices are evident in the dramatic life expectancy differences between neighboring zip codes. This reality underscores the critical need for thoughtful, well-coordinated efforts across county, city, and even state levels, supported by the private sector, to promote equitable community well-being.
We’ve been inspired by recent conversations around what’s happening in Mecklenburg County and the updated Chetty study, which saw Charlotte’s economic mobility ranking improve from 50th out of 50 for metro areas to 38th out of 50. This groundbreaking research further underscores geography’s critical role in shaping health and economic opportunities.
Examples like these challenge us to reconsider our approach to public health and social policy, prompting the question: How can we effectively address the social drivers of health to bridge these gaps and create more equitable communities?
Collaboration Should Be the Rule, Not the Exception
While everyone needs good health and well-being, not everyone has equal access to the resources and conditions that make them possible.
This “have and have nots” construct isn’t unfamiliar — it’s been a key characteristic of society since the beginning of time. It’s a hard truth — one we’re likely to face when we venture through neighborhoods not too far from our own.
So what will it take to create a pathway for more of our neighbors, community members and loved ones to maximize their health outcomes? Authentic, radical collaboration.
People and entities who don’t typically engage with one another must collaborate in ways that challenge the status quo. By focusing on the human experience first, we can dismantle hierarchy and power dynamics. By slowing down to take the time to build authentic new partnerships, we can ultimately “go fast” when the time is right.
Meeting at the Intersection
Across the country, we’re beginning to witness some of these innovative partnerships among clinical providers, community-based organizations, local municipalities, civic organizations and residents. These individuals and organizations represent an unwavering commitment to the places where they live and the people they live with and around.
To increase health equity, Next Stage believes cross-organization collaboration and innovation are key parts of the playbook. That’s why we’ve partnered with organizations that deliver health solutions in creative and impactful ways to neighborhoods in need:
- Next Stage served as a third-party assessment partner to ensure the quality of service deployment for Care Ring’s The Bridge project — a mobile health unit that removes a common health care barrier: transportation.
- In 2024, we’re partnering with the Office of Violence Prevention to facilitate community-driven action planning to help create a safer environment in the Sugar Creek I-85 Corridor.
- Other partners in the health ecosystem include Constellation Quality Health in Raleigh, NC, and Piedmont Health Services, a multi-location community health organization headquartered in Carrboro, NC.
Next Stage, with its unique position at the intersection of various community stakeholders, is poised to help facilitate positive change by fostering collaborative solutions that can lead to better health outcomes for all.
That’s why, this fall, we’re launching our Impact for Health webinar series. This free five-part series will delve into innovative collaboration examples and the evolving health care landscape both locally and nationwide.
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Nimisha Patel joined Next Stage in 2024, having previously led The New Guard, a consultancy working with clients in health care, hospitality, real estate, nonprofits and technology. She previously served as National Director of Innovation & Design for Health Leads, a national leader in addressing the systemic causes of racial health inequalities. She also served as Associate Vice President at Duke Health where she led innovation design and implementation.
Jalah Blackmon is a public health educator who uses a social justice and health equity lens to empower underrepresented communities and challenge systemic barriers to wellness. She previously served as the Director of Innovation and Capacity Building at Care Share Health Alliance and as a Program Director at Charlotte Mecklenburg Food Policy Council. She’s the cofounder of The Black Light Foundation, a 501(c)3, family-led nonprofit focused on bringing light to dark places for individuals suffering from suicidal thoughts and mental health issues.