By V.S. Santoni For 75 years, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee has worked tirelessly with its members and local communities to bring Tennesseans healthcare, especially those in vulnerable populations. J.D. Hickey, president and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee stated that his organization has always emphasized diversity and inclusion. In keeping true to that statement, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee has issued its first ever health equity report to highlight healthcare disparities among Tennesseans. They hosted a virtual event on February 13 to discuss the report and their findings. Leading the project was Blue Cross Blue…
Author: V.S. Santoni
By V.S. Santoni NASHVILLE, TN — More so than their white counterparts, Black adults are twice as likely to experience hospitalization for heart failure. In the US, heart conditions affect nearly 50 percent of African Americans. An even smaller sample of African Americans and Afro-Caribbeans suffer a rare hereditary genetic mutation that causes transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy, or ATTR-CM, which leads to heart failure. To raise awareness in the African American and Afro-Caribbean communities, Bishop Calvin Barlow of SMB Cooperative Ministries, in partnership with Pfizer, held a webinar on Saturday, February 18. Dr. Victoria Elizabeth Thomas and former NBA basketball player…