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
★ Having quality healthcare in schools can help improve healthcare equity for all. School-based health clinics provide people with opportunities to access quality healthcare they wouldn’t be able to get otherwise. Dr. Nagappala makes it clear that the care that kids are able to get in school — the place they go every day — can change their lives and make waves in their communities.
★ The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the public health game. Dr. Nagappala shares her thoughts on why community health has been so important during the pandemic: We need to work together to keep each other safe and healthy.
★ Public health policy is on the rise. Dr. Nagappala believes that increasing awareness of these public health issues will lead to more government response. She explains what kinds of public health policies and laws she wants to see implemented in the future.
★ Find passion in your work. Despite the difficulties, Dr. Nagappala still finds meaning in the work she does. She stresses the importance of going after the things you’re passionate about in order to make real...
