Latest news
See our recent activity in industry publications and media. We regularly share expertise and insights focused on topics around health equity, the social determinants of health (SDOH), and related topics. Check out our latest news below.
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WTF Health: Can SameSky Health fix the ‘trust issues’ minority populations have with big healthcare?
“Healthcare needs to move into 2022 and get away from the one-size-fits-all approach that healthcare takes almost everywhere and, instead, treat people like who they are matters.”
That’s the challenge coming from SameSky Health’s founder & CEO Abner Mason whose business is helping some of healthcare’s most notorious “one-size-fits-all-ers” (health plans) improve the way they engage with diverse populations.
Capitol Weekly: California setting up statewide medical data-exchange grid
California is developing a long-sought statewide health information exchange for providers and payers to deliver better care for patients. The health information exchange, or HIE, has received little public attention. But it would cover 40 million people in California’s 58 counties, and would in part quickly inform emergency room doctors and nurses of a patient’s medical history.
SameSky Health is part of newly launched Snowflake Healthcare & Life Sciences Data Cloud
Snowflake Data Marketplace partners, like Compile, Equifax, Invitae, IQVIA, PRECISIONxtract, and SameSky Health, enable timely access to 3rd party data sources via data sharing, enabling healthcare and life sciences organizations to securely exchange critical datasets in a timely manner, eliminating the need for traditional data sharing methods requiring data copying and movement.
ViVE: They can’t get no satisfaction: rethinking care for disaffected patients
Consider opportunities to enhance care delivery for the least well-served patients in the nation. From the first to the last touchpoint, our panel will break down the patient journey and provide guidance on making care more accessible and appropriate for patients disenfranchised by inequities in healthcare. Hear when to use digital or in-person interactions to engender trust, improve cultural competence, inject personalization, and drive provider accountability for equitable care delivery.
McKinsey & Company: The people behind healthcare innovation: interview with Abner Mason, CEO of SameSky Health
In the latest People Behind Healthcare Innovation interview, Amy Hung of McKinsey & Company speaks with Abner Mason, CEO and Founder of SameSky Health. In this interview, Abner shares his decade-long public sector experience which led him to realize the gap in healthcare for multi-cultural communities and ultimately led him to create SameSky Health.
AHIP webinar: A pragmatic approach to addressing health equity
Health equity begins with understanding the unique beliefs and behaviors of individuals to build trusted, culturally relevant connections. Listen as Abner Mason, founder and CEO of SameSky Health, and Dr. Pooja Mittal, Medical Director of Health Equity for HealthNet share a pragmatic approach to addressing health equity, focused on helping members more effectively engage within the healthcare system.
SameSky Health launches CultureGuide, the health equity-focused consumer engagement experience
Today, SameSky Health Inc. announced the launch of CultureGuide™, a culturally intelligent engagement solution that empowers health plans to better connect members to the services and care they need, no matter who they are.
Ahead in Health: Digital equity in the shadow of digital health with John A. Powell and Abner Mason
Virtual health care boomed in the COVID-19 pandemic, and it’s undoubtedly a huge part of the future of medicine. But is that good news for everyone? Underserved communities are at risk of being left even further behind as the most affordable, timely, convenient care increasingly happens online. Digital care actually has the potential to do the opposite—to improve access, personalize care, and reduce historic health inequities—but only if we design it right, and do so right now.
ScaleHealth: 5 Minutes with Abner Mason, founder and CEO of SameSky Health
In this conversation, Abner shares the backstory behind the company's rebrand from ConsejoSano and what each of us can to do have a greater impact on health equity in 2022 and beyond.
SmartBrief: Improving health equity through a culturally and linguistically intelligent approach
While health care has made significant advances over the years, many populations continue to be marginalized due to a lack of knowledge about their specific needs. SmartBrief spoke with Abner Mason, founder and CEO of SameSky Health, to find out what health plans are doing to improve equity for their members.
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals: Supporting health equity for all through leadership, action and partnership
Alnylam's third Global Patient Advocacy Leadership Summit focused significantly on topics of diversity, equity and inclusion in the rare disease space. Advocates discussed barriers that affect quality of, and access to, care among certain groups, as well as ways in which they can improve the outreach, information and services they provide to their constituents to foster better health equity and outcomes. During the summit, SameSky Health's Founder and CEO Abner Mason said, “We need to get serious about collecting race, ethnicity and language data. We know we have health disparities, but we have not done a good job of putting metrics around that."
STAT News: As internet access limits telehealth’s reach, insurers are starting to cover the bill
Nearly a quarter of adults don’t have broadband at home and 15% struggle with internet costs. Abner Mason, Founder and CEO of SameSky Health, says, "All of the potential good things that come from this move to virtual care are put at risk if we don’t solve this broadband problem." Fortunately, health plans are now paying attention.
Twilio webinar: Advancing Health Equity
Abner Mason joined a Twilio panel discussion focused on how emerging technology can be leveraged to advance the overall cause of health equity. Panelists shared lessons learned from organizations interested in working to close health disparities and inequities in their communities. They also discussed how you can personalize and scale your engagements to build trust and relationships over time. View the recording here.
Introducing SameSky Health: A cultural experience company that removes barriers to care
SameSky Health, formerly known as ConsejoSano, launches a new brand to reflect our mission to create cultural connections for a healthier, more equitable world. Read the latest press release here.
Rosenman Institute: Healthtech leader of the month: Abner Mason, founder & CEO, ConsejoSano
For the January installment of Healthtech Leader of the Month, the Rosenman Institute featured Abner Mason, the founder and CEO of ConsejoSano. ConsejoSano’s goal is to make healthcare accessible to everyone, not just those who speak English as a first language. Read 3 lessons learned by Abner Mason and his other insights about customizing compassionate care.
Harlow on Healthcare - Cultural connections in conversation: Harlow on Healthcare podcast
Abner Mason, Founder and CEO of ConsejoSano, speaks with David Harlow about SDOH, heath equity and building trust across diverse patient populations by combining data, tech and a multicultural team. Listen to this episode of “Harlow on Healthcare” on the HealthcareNOW radio podcast network.
STAT News: 5 health tech startups targeting the Medicaid population to watch
When it comes to new opportunities, health tech companies tend to follow the money. That means that for years, Medicaid — the public insurance program serving nearly one in five U.S. residents — has been largely left behind in the race to use tech to provide more convenient, better care. Read the article from STAT News here.
SameSky Health welcomes health tech veteran Josh Siegel as new CTO
With previous experience at Inovalon, CareCloud, and (HMS) Eliza, Siegel will oversee the data-science that drives the SameSky Health Cultural Connections Platform, the company’s proprietary technology that employs unique, curated content to help consumers navigate care that is based on their cultural views.
USofCare presents equity considerations for virtual care at the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s 2021 Quality Innovation Series
At the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s 2021 Quality Innovation Series, Abner Mason, Founder and CEO of SameSky Health, and member of the USofCare Founders Council, discussed virtual care policy recommendations for health systems and policy makers to overcome barriers to virtual care access. “It comes down to meeting people where they’re at and recognizing that the health care consumer’s preferences need to be top priority. If we can’t make text messaging work in 2021, how are we going to deal with what’s coming with virtual care solutions?” said Abner Mason, founder and CEO of SameSky Health.
Healthcare Finance: Managed Medicaid plans and health systems hampered from texting consumers by 30-year-old law
Health plans hire SameSky Health to create culturally appropriate content, but due to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), the company can't reach members by text. "We do a lot of work with multicultural people. Most of our work is in Medicaid. For us and our work … the only way to communicate with patients is texting. [The health plans] hire us to create the content that is culturally appropriate. We're prevented from using that tool half the time or more. We don't reach the most vulnerable people." said Abner Mason, founder and CEO of SameSky Health.