27: Health Equity with Data and Heart, with Essey Yirdaw of CHA

Health equity and social determinants of health are hot topics in many spaces today, but do they really mean? How can we use data respectfully and effectively to tackle these huge challenges? My guest today offers a nuanced, thoughtful, and practical approach to balancing data with a human-centered focus. 

Essey Yirdaw is the director of data analytics at the Colorado Hospital Association. Essey received her Master’s degree from Colorado School of Public Health in 2015 in Health Systems, Management and Policy. Before coming to work at Colorado Hospital Association, Essey worked for over six years at the University of Colorado where she served in several capacities in the Department of Medicine, from program manager to division administrator – most recently working as program manager for the School of Medicine. Essey is most passionate about using data to help health care providers improve patient outcomes in an equitable, quality driven manner.