Highmark Health names Witt VP of Social Determinants | News, Sports, Jobs

PITTSBURGH — A vp of social determinants of well being, operations and technique has been introduced by Highmark Well being.

Whitney Perkins Witt will direct interventions, analysis and analysis, superior information analytics, supplier collaboration, well being innovation and expertise and thought management for the insurance coverage firm.

She earned her doctorate and grasp’s in well being coverage and administration and public well being on the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg College of Public Well being, a post-doctoral fellowship in pediatric well being providers analysis on the Harvard College College of Medication and a bachelor’s in regulation and ladies’s research at Hampshire School.

“I couldn’t be prouder to hitch the Highmark staff at this thrilling time,” Witt stated. “I’m very impressed with and help Highmark’s ‘Dwelling Well being’ give attention to social well being, together with bodily and behavioral well being. The group is on the forefront of implementing and evaluating interventions to deal with the SDOH and whole-person care. I look ahead to collaborating with my new colleagues to deal with the social determinants of well being and enhance well being fairness.”

“We’re happy to welcome Dr. Witt and her longstanding historical past of success to Highmark,” stated Nebeyou Abebe, senior vp of social determinants of well being at Highmark. “The significance of understanding social determinants and minimizing the limitations that stand earlier than our communities and members is on the core of our work. I’m assured that Dr. Witt’s distinctive talent set and sturdy expertise will result in optimistic developments within the well being and well-being of our members whereas lowering well being disparities.”

Social determinants of well being are the circumstances during which individuals reside, work, study and play that may influence as much as 80% of a person’s well being earlier than the well being care system can intervene. By digging deeper into “non-health” associated questions, Highmark is main the way in which in serving to members and sufferers transfer previous well being care to focus solely on well being.

Witt brings about 30 years of expertise to Highmark and has led multidisciplinary groups to develop and implement strategic well being initiatives, conduct analysis, launch revolutionary technical help applications and develop and create digital medical instruments utilizing superior information analytics. As well as, she has experience, notably with SDOH, to enhance value, high quality and patient-related outcomes.

Earlier than becoming a member of Highmark, Witt was the vp of AmeriSpeak, which is NORC on the College of Chicago’s premier multi-client, panel-based analysis platform, the place she oversaw the event and development of AmeriSpeak-centered enterprise amongst federal sponsors.

Previous to her expertise at NORC, she was a professor and inaugural dean of the School of Well being at Lehigh College. As dean, she established the primary undergraduate, graduate and certificates applications in inhabitants well being and elevated the range of college college by recruiting, hiring and selling expertise from totally different racial, cultural, financial and ethnic backgrounds.