On this episode of the Prosperous Doc ®, our host Shane Tenny, CFP® welcomes Dr. Beena Nagappala. Dr. Beena Nagappala began her medical education in India, completed her residency in the US, in board-certified in family medicine, has a master's degree in public health, health management, health policy and currently she's also the medical director of Community Health in Detroit, Michigan, where there are over 22 school-based community health sites around the Detroit metro area, all of which serve the community and are part of Dr. Nagappala's vision for helping the folks around her.
Dr. Beena Nagappala has done a lot in her career as a family physician and a public health expert — and she’s still going. As a practicing medical doctor as well as a leader in school-based community healthcare in Detroit, Michigan region, Dr. Nagappala knows how important public health is for everyone.
Part of Dr. Nagappala’s mission has always been to provide healthcare for people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to access it. But unfortunately, in Detroit in particular, there are people who simply aren’t able to get quality healthcare in the area where they live. To Dr. Nagappala, this is unacceptable.
“I always feel the need to provide care for the indigent,” she tells our host Shane Tenny, CFP® in this episode of the Prosperous Doc ®. “Some of the school-based clinics [that I oversee] are in communities where there is a lack of access to care, in terms of transportation and doctors. They have to travel outside of where they live to access these types of services. There is a distinct level of care that they lack.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has further proved the importance of ensuring everyone has access to healthcare and accurate information about science and medicine. Working within the school system has allowed Dr. Nagappala to reach more people.
Dr. Nagappala joins Shane to discuss her experience juggling a part-time family practice with working as a public health policy expert and overseeing dozens of school-based clinics. She also shares her thoughts on what makes public health so important, especially during a pandemic, and what keeps her going in this field even when things get tough.
Name: Dr. Beena Nagappala, MD, MPH
What she does: Dr. Nagappala is the Medical Director of Community Health for Ascension Southeast Michigan, overseeing nurse practitioners and medical staff at dozens of school-based clinics in the Detroit area. She is also a family medicine physician with Cornerstone Medical Group.
Companies: Ascension, Cornerstone Medical Group
Words of wisdom: “In the last year, [we] have realized how important public health is to our communities. We have to take care of each other so we can serve our community.”
Connect: Website
Top takeaways from this episode
[01:56] What public health means: Dr. Nagappala talks about what public health work encompasses, and what specific services she aims to provide to communities.
[02:52] Unequal access to care: The desire to address the racial disparities in healthcare access propelled Dr. Nagappala into public health work.
[06:35] Benefits of state funding: Dr. Nagappala says that getting more state funding for public health in the school system has helped expand important programs in the past several years.
[07:56] Behavioral and mental health on the forefront: The pandemic has increased awareness of the importance of mental health, especially for children who have faced the impacts of school closures. Dr. Nagappala says this is an area people are focusing on more now.
[09:22] Logistics of providing care to children: Dr. Nagappala talks about how providing healthcare to children in schools can be different than working with adults, and the logistics.
[11:28] Combating misinformation: Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, misinformation about health and medicine has become a big problem. Dr. Nagappala is able to educate kids and parents in the school system.
[16:35] Accessibility is key: Dr. Nagappala believes that offering quality health services at schools is crucial in the fight to improve healthcare access for people in marginalized communities.
[17:38] Public health means more supportive communities: Dr. Nagappala points out that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed what it means to be a member of a healthy, supportive community that works to keep each other safe — a key tenet of the ethos behind public health policy.
[19:38] Passion makes it all worth it: Despite the administrative burdens that can come with working in the medical field, Dr. Nagappala says that seeing the impact of even small interactions with patients in her field of practice keeps her going. Go where your passion is, and the meaning will become clear.
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Disclaimer: Prosperous Doc podcast by Spaugh Dameron Tenny highlights real-life stories from doctors and dentists to encourage and inspire listeners through discussions of professional successes and failures in addition to personal stories and financial wellness advice. Spaugh Dameron Tenny is a comprehensive financial planning firm serving doctors and dentists in Charlotte, NC. To find out more about Spaugh Dameron Tenny, visit our website at www.sdtplanning.com. You can also connect with our host, Shane Tenny, CFP at shane@whitecoatwell.com or on Twitter.
Compliance code: CRN202411-1312591
Top quotes from the episode:
[15:43] “We've realized in the last year that many children have had no immunizations and no vaccines because they couldn't access care.”
[19:47] “Go where you’re passionate. I’ve been a family medicine doctor for almost 20 years now, and I truly love what I do.”
[20:27] “It's the small day-to-day interactions that I have with my patients… that can make a big difference in their lives, whatever it might be.”