PODCAST: Whole health and food security
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The chief medical officer for Indianapolis-based Elevance Health Inc. (NYSE: ELV) says the company is taking a whole health approach to improve lives, and not just focus on its primary business, health insurance. During a discussion on Agbioscience, the podcast presented by AgriNovus Indiana, Dr. Shantanu Agrawal said the company is addressing physical, behavioral, mental and social health as part of its broader strategy to change lives.
“We try to bring together this integrated picture because we fundamentally think that’s what drives somebody’s health outcomes,” said Agrawal. “This is no longer just about traditional health care. We’re not talking about only what happens in a doctor’s office or in a hospital, we are thinking and working to deal with what’s happening in a person’s life, in their household, in their communities.”
Elevance, which was formerly known as Anthem, changed its name in March. Agrawal told podcast host and AgriNovus Indiana CEO Mitch Frazier the rebranding better reflects its core mission.
“Elevance Health is all about elevating and advancing whole health. And that’s really the thinking now that we bring to our members, and it’s our future direction. I think that’s the continuum that people have to see,” said Agrawal.
AgriNovus, the state’s accelerator for the agbioscience industry, says Elevance Health is stepping up to connect consumers to better nutrition and, subsequently, better health outcomes. The partners say technology can play a role.
“Imagine if we could use technology to screen people for hunger in your doctor’s office, or through an organization like Elevance Health. If a doctor screens you and finds a child who is hungry, I want to know about it immediately, not three months later, not a week later, I want to know immediately,” said Agrawal.
He says the technology could then get the child and family connected to resources and get them enrolled in government aid programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Elevance was a supporter of the AgriNovus HungerTech Challenge. Click here to listen to the full podcast when it comes out Monday morning.