The Future of Healthcare: “The US ranks poorly because minorities and low-income individuals do not have equal access to health care”

with Dr. Nicole Rochester, CEO of Your GPS Doc, LLC

…Health and Healthcare Disparities: In the United States, minorities and low-income individuals do not have equal access to health care and suffer from disease and chronic illness disproportionately. Until we address these inequalities, our performance will continue to rank poorly compared to other developed nations.

As a part of my interview series with leaders in healthcare, I had the pleasure to interview Dr. Nicole Rochester. Dr. Rochester is a board-certified pediatrician, private health advocate, TEDx speaker, author, and the CEO of Your GPS Doc, LLC, an innovative company that helps individuals and their family caregivers navigate the healthcare system. Dr. Rochester was inspired to start her company after caring for her late father and witnessing the complicated healthcare system from the other side of the stethoscope. She is committed to transforming our healthcare system through the education and empowerment of patients and family caregivers.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

My two older sisters and I cared for our father (now deceased) for three years. He had multiple chronic health conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, dementia, and end stage kidney disease. While we all pitched in and did whatever was needed, as the physician in the family my primary responsibility was to manage his healthcare needs. I learned very quickly that despite my extensive experience practicing medicine, I knew very little about the complexity of our healthcare system and the innumerable barriers that exist between patients, family caregivers, and healthcare providers.

On multiple occasions, I had to fiercely advocate for my dad to ensure he received appropriate and timely medical care. As a family…