The Reverse Mullet Healthcare Podcast
Ellen Brown, Justin Politi, and Dave Pavlik bring their 90 collective years of healthcare experience to BP2 Health where they're on a mission to effect real change in the industry. Connect with BP2 Health Here: https://bp2health.com/contact/
The Reverse Mullet Healthcare Podcast
Reimagining Barbershops as Health Hubs with Peter Njongwe
On the Road Edition - Live at ViVE, Episode 7
Ever wondered how barbershops could double as healthcare hubs? Join us for an eye-opening conversation with Peter Jongwe, the visionary founder and CEO of Oben Health, who is transforming community spaces into centers of health and wellness. Peter details his innovative program that trains barbers as community health workers to screen for hypertension right where people feel most at ease. This episode offers a compelling look at how meeting people where they are can close healthcare gaps and improve outcomes for underserved populations.
But that's not all—we also tackle the foundational aspects of healthcare that need urgent attention. Access, care, screening, and health literacy are critical areas where technology can make a significant impact. Hear personal anecdotes that underscore the emotional drive behind these missions, including stories that could change the way you think about healthcare delivery. From improving operations and workflows to leveraging the latest technological advancements, this episode is a passionate call to action for meaningful change in the healthcare system. Tune in for an inspiring discussion that could transform lives and communities alike.
Okay, there we are. We're still, we're still vibing at Vive 2020, 2024 in Los Angeles and today, today, we're joined by Peter Jungway and I am Dave Pavlik.
Speaker 2:And I am Ellen Brown, two of our three co hosts for the reverse mullet healthcare podcast, and we're really excited to have Peter on. So I have to well, first of all, introduce yourself and tell us, tell us about your, because we're very smitten with Peter's company, so we're really glad that he was able to come and talk to us today.
Speaker 1:Awesome. Thank you all for having me. Peter Jongwe, founder and CEO of OpenHealth, and what we're doing is we're bringing care to where people are. So we are building the tech infrastructure to deliver care in trusted community spaces, starting with barbershops and salons. And when I met Ellen and she invited me to be a part of this, I was honored and just really excited for this conversation.
Speaker 2:So I have to tell you it is such a cool concept, and so you are. The epitome to me of why this podcast has really reinvigorated me is that there are so many good things happening in healthcare that are genuine, that are for the right reasons, that that aren't. Anyways, I will stop there and just say, and I just love having a platform to bring a voice to those things, and that's why we wanted to do this podcast. So it's like very meaningful to me when things that aren't necessarily mainstream understood, not that we're some mainstream like thing, but we do have a lot of folks that listen and I just feel like, if you can put the word out there, but I did have something kind of exciting. I thought for you.
Speaker 2:So yesterday afternoon I went to a panel that was about retired sports stars and venture, and so there were two retired NBA folks Well, it was magic Johnson's foundation and they have a, they have a venture fund. And then there was another one BIG is another fund that was there and then two kind of more typical VC people. But uh, I talked to so Stefanetta Bingley I don't know if you've heard this name, so she's, she's one of the heads of the of Magic Johnson's fund and she said we're, we're. What we're really focused on is finding things new, innovative things that serve the inner city community, and we want to invest in those, and so I told her about your company and she wants to meet you, like she wants me to connect you.
Speaker 1:Oh wow, that's exciting so there you go.
Speaker 2:So I had to tell you. I was like I'm going to tell everyone we're together because it was just yesterday afternoon. So, yeah, yeah, cause I told her. I said I'm not involved in this at all, but I met Peter and I love what he does, and I think this is so smack dab in the middle of what you're talking about and I was like so it may not be, it may be. She's like no, totally Like, let's send. She gave me her card and I'm going to connect you.
Speaker 1:Oh, wow.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Amazing Thanks.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so anyways. So see, good things happen when you meet at a loud bar, at JP Morgan, and both of us were like painfully Everyone knows the story.
Speaker 1:I was actually talking to someone else and Ellen was like, I think, what was going on again.
Speaker 2:I was eavesdropping. I was eavesdropping because I don't like loud bars and JP Morgan. Like half the events I went to were like really nice and quiet and subdued.
Speaker 1:And then the other ones were just these like wow, it was like being in college again and I I was. I had a great college experience, but I'm done and so we were at this. I think probably you overheard him say something. You went wait, hey, no, no, no.
Speaker 2:But so I was sitting along the wall. I was hungry. I was so hungry and there were these tofu sticks and I was like I'm just gonna sit and eat tofu sticks by myself. I was, and I was just doing that. And then I'm like listening and peter's talking to this person, I'm like this is like the coolest thing ever and I let them talk.
Speaker 2:And then finally I was like excuse me, I was like I don't want to interrupt your conversation for good, but can we connect offline, because I love what you're saying, you're doing and I want to know more about it. Yeah, so there we are.
Speaker 1:Well, want to tell us a little bit more about the model. Yeah, so what we do is we train the barbers to be community health workers. And really it's not just people are going to think, just barbers, but more of these people that people trust, where people go to, where they feel like there's a sense of belonging. So with Trinamon's community health workers, their entry points, the screen patients right now we're focusing on hypertension so when it's a screen of patients, if they meet the threshold that we're looking for, they're enrolled into the program and then that's where it kind of starts cascading right. So then they're scheduled to meet with a care provider in the barbershop or in that trusted community space.
Speaker 1:Because one of the things you don't want to do is just refer someone because that's great I call that version 1.0 where you're like all right, great, you know, there's all this community initiatives. It's like we're going to meet you where you are, we're going to refer you to a PCP or to a specialty care, but people fall along the way. They got to think about transportation needs, I got to think of time of work. That simply doesn't work, or it works to a certain extent. So it's like how do you close that gap, and it's essentially by meeting people there, and so that's why the model works, because we meet people where they are. We try to provide as much care as we can.
Speaker 1:And they're comfortable there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's like a community space and it's so. What I love about it is it is the epitome of what health equity and SDOH is trying to accomplish from a regulatory perspective. But you are, you are like the poster child of and closing care gaps and meeting people where they are, and just there's so much about it. And so, yeah, it's just it. It really is the epitome of what so many people are trying to create. That's not authentic, it's not culturally relevant, right, and and I just I think it's fantastic.
Speaker 1:Thank you. I don't think we even really need to ask him the question, because we already know the answer.
Speaker 2:Well, we'll ask him if he wants to add anything, because it wouldn't be fair. So we are asking everybody that comes on to this, on the road edition and on the podcast too, we do this is what do you think, what are you, what are you passionate about that you think could make a real effect, real change all caps, R-E-A-L in health care.
Speaker 1:Hmm the thing. So the reason I started OBEN is because and I shared this story with you as well was a few years ago my brother passed away from uncontrolled hypertension at age 36, went to bed and he didn't wake up and I remember that moment. Even telling the story still gives me, you know, I still shiver and I'm still like feels real and it's how can someone so young pass away from something that's so preventable? And that's haunted me and I think the reason why it's haunted me is because he didn't die of a lack of newer technology or a medical device. He didn't. That's not the reason why it's because we didn't get the basics right. It's because he didn't get screened, and I have that every day. I think I've written that down. If he had gotten screened, I think he'd still be here and for, like, what do you think can make healthcare change? I think we really need to get the basics right. I think that's where technology can really shine. Sure enough, I love all the new things we're doing and the new devices.
Speaker 1:All the shiny objects. It's true and I was I was talking this morning was that he was saying we need to get the basics right. And what are those? Accesses, care, screening, health, literacy, like we really do.
Speaker 2:I know. And I think that's that's where technology can, and then you walk in the hall and all the shiny objects have, all the shiny objects that they're handing out, and I mean and I know that a lot of that is saving lives too, yeah, but I think, equally improving operations, improving workflows, improving how we deliver care and site of care right, exactly which is what you're addressing, and then addressing community needs, and I just yay.
Speaker 1:I'm so proud of what you're doing. It's an incredible story. It really is Such a passion mission.
Speaker 2:So I'm really glad that you were were. What was your brother's name?
Speaker 1:Well, ben, the company's name, that I, yeah, I just got chills, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:I know this was super powerful man. I, yeah, I appreciate it.
Speaker 1:I really appreciate you. Thank you so much for taking some time with us, and there's hugs.
Speaker 2:Thanks, and we have to have hugs with that.