Mass programs work to narrow the affordability gap for food and health care

The tricky thing about gaps in companies and curb talk is that we get used to walking over them and over time, we may forget they exist altogether. SO HERE AT CHRONICLE, WE FOUND A LITTLE REMINDER. LET’S SEE HOW PEOPLE DO THE NEWS. MIND THE GAP QUIZ. THIS $1,000 REPRESENTS ALL THE WEALTH OF THE UNITED STATES. WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THIS IS ENTERED BY THE BOTTOM 50% OF PATHS? LISTEN, HALF, 20%. I WANT TO GUESS 33%. ONE THIRD. 33%. WELL, YOU GOT THE THREE RIGHT PART. 3% IS THE CORRECT ANSWER. THIS IS LOUD. YES. 50% OF THE COUNTRY HAS 97% OF THE WEALTH. THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE SOCIAL GAPS WE EXAMINE WITH THE EXPERTS. MANY OF THE ISSUES RELATED TO THE WEALTH GAP, THE TRANSPORTATION GAP, THE FOOD GAP ARE ALL CONNECTED AND SOME PASSIONATE PEOPLE WORK ON SOLUTIONS. WE CONSIDER OUR FARM AS A WAY TO BRIDGE THIS GAP BY PROVIDING FRESH PRODUCE TO EVERYONE. TONIGHT, CHRONICLE EXPLORES A NUMBER OF WAYS TO UNDERMINE THE GAP. THIS IS THE CHRONICLE ON CHANNEL FIVE TO FIND A BEAUTIFUL, THRIVING FARM HERE IN IPSWICH IT IS NOT SURPRISING BUT THE PURPOSE OF THIS FARM STAND OUT. WE ARE A COMMUNITY FARM, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION AND WE HAVE A MISSION TO ACCESS FOOD, WHICH MEANS WE SEEK TO GET FRESH, LOCALLY GROWN PRODUCTS FOR PEOPLE WHO WOULD OTHERWISE NOT BE ABLE TO Afford it. WE ARE THE ONLY PRODUCTION SCALE FARM IN THE NORTH SHORE WITH THE MISSION OF ACCESS TO FOOD IN DOING THIS JOB. MY NAME IS LIZ GREEN. I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HERE AT THREE SISTERS INCREASING ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD FILLS A GAP NOT USUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE NORTH SHORE. THERE IS A LOT OF WEALTH HERE AND A LOT OF MEANS, BUT THERE ARE ALSO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY STRUGGLING. WE ACCEPT SNAPS, WHICH ARE GOOD MEALS, AND WE ALSO HAVE FREE QUOTES AVAILABLE. THE PASSION OF GREEN AND ITS STAFF TRANSLATE ABSOLUTELY INTO THEIR PRODUCT. SWEET PEPPERS, PEPPERS, SOME HOT PEPPERS. YOU WILL SEE THAT THERE WILL BE A HUNDRED OF PLANTS OF EACH VARIETY THAT ARE ENTERING HERE, EGGPLANT. AND ONCE YOU HAVE A TASTE OF FRESH PRODUCTS, YOU MIGHT JUST START GROWING SOME OF YOUR OWN. WE HAVE MANY PEOPLE WHO RECEIVE WEEKLY SHARING WITH US AND THEN THEY ALSO MAKE A GARDEN AT HOME FOR THOSE THINGS THEY LOVE. THE EXTRA MONEY FOR RUNNING THE COMPANY COMES FROM GRANTS AND DONATIONS INTEGRATED WITH FULL PRICE CUSTOMERS AND AGRICULTURAL MARKETS. BUT THE QUALITY IS ALWAYS THE SAME. WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO GIVE THE FIRST AND HIGHEST QUALITY TO EVERYONE, WHETHER you are a full pay, rolling scale or free member. HERE. AND WE WILL HEAR IT FROM THE PEOPLE WHO SEE THIS QUALITY AND APPRECIATE IT. BACK TO OUR MIND, THE GAP QUIZ. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON TO GET AN APPOINTMENT WITH THEIR PRIMARY CARE DOCTOR? THREE MONTHS? OH, SIX WEEKS AT LEAST. I WANT TO GO WITH A MONTH AND A HALF. IT’S CLOSE ENOUGH. A 2022 STUDY PUT THE WAIT TIME IN BOSTON AT 40 DAYS, EVEN THIS WOMAN BELIEVES IT IS MUCH LONGER. MY GRANDMA IS TRYING TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH HER PRIMARY CARE AND SO THE CLOSEST IS SEPTEMBER. SO THIS IS BASICLY OVER 90 DAYS. YES. TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR. YES. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS? CRAZY. I THINK ACCESS AND PRIMARY CARE HAVE BEEN INCREASINGLY LIMITED AFTER THE PANDEMIC. MANY PRIMARY CARE DOCTORS AGE 60 AND OVER RETIRE EARLY. DR. BARBARA SPIVAK BELIEVES THIS IS A GAP THAT WILL ONLY GET WORSE AS THE AMA, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS ESTIMATED THAT IN THE NEXT TEN YEARS, NATIONAL WILL BE SHORT 124, 125,000 DOCTORS AND HAVING FEWER DOCTORS AVAILABLE WILL DELAY TREATMENT TO BRIDGE THE REQUIREMENT GAP A NEW GENERATION OF PRIMARY CARE DOCTORS. BUT THE FIELD IS CURRENTLY A HARD SELLING. MANY YOUNG DOCTORS Walk Out WITH 3000 $400,000 IN LOANS AND TO BE A PRIMARY CARE DOCTOR YOU DON’T DO WHAT THE SPECIALISTS DO TO KNOW YOU COULD WORK LESS, HAVE A BETTER LIFE, EARN DOUBLE AS MUCH AND PAY THOSE LOANS FASTER. IT IS NOT ENCOURAGING FOR DOCTORS TO WANT TO DO PRIMARY CARE. WHEN CONSIDERING THE LINKS BETWEEN INCOME AND MEDICAL ACCESS. A POSSIBLE SOLUTION COULD FILL TWO GAP. WE LOOK AT COUNTRIES WHERE MEDICAL SCHOOLS AND TRAINING PROGRAMS ARE FREE, AND THEREFORE PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO WORK IN UNDERSERVED AREAS FOR SEVERAL YEARS. AND COULD DO MORE BESIDES SERVING AS PRESIDENT OF MASSACHUSETTS MEDICAL SOCIETY, DR. BARBARA SPIVAK IS HERSELF A PRIMARY CARE DOCTOR. He says he loves what he does, but the burnout is real and largely related to administrative tasks that take away time and focus on patient care. WE HAVE MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE DATA USED IN OUR INFORMAL MIND.

Mass programs work to narrow the affordability gap for food and health care

Three Sisters Garden Project and the Massachusetts Medical Society are closing the gap.

Updated: 8 PM EDT June 28, 2023

Three Sisters Garden Project is a non-profit farm based in Ipswich with a mission to: Grow and distribute fresh, sustainable and nutritious food. This is achieved, in part, by offering quality products at reduced or no cost. The Massachusetts Medical Society identifies itself as the largest physician-led organization in the Commonwealth and a leading voice in health policy, public health, and clinical medical education. Dr. Barbara Spivak is a primary care physician and the current president of MMS. Food gap – Low-income individuals and communities are more likely to face disproportionate health outcomes and life expectancy, in part due to a lack of affordable healthy food. in timely access to general practitioners. The accessibility gap The needs of people with limited mobility are very different. Even in places marked as accessible, many people with mobility devices find it difficult to move between streets, restaurants, entrances and basics such as public restrooms. The Wealth Gap – There is a dramatic gap between the average wealth of US households, with approximately 97% of the nation’s wealth owned by the top 50%. This gap is most significant when viewed along racial lines. The Transportation Gap: Communities without reliable access to public transportation are more likely to experience stress, adverse health effects, and a lower quality of life. Our Mind the Gap Quiz was based in part on data from the following sources: US Household Wealth Distribution since 1989 2022 Survey of Doctor Appointment Wait Times and Medicare and Medicaid Acceptance Rates (Source: AMN Healthcare, a group of medical ) Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization: Affronting Equity and Access in the Blue Hills Reservation

NEEDHAM, Mass. —

Three Sisters Garden Project is a non-profit farm based in Ipswich with a mission to: Grow and distribute fresh, sustainable and nutritious food. This is achieved, in part, by offering quality products at reduced or no cost.

The Massachusetts Medical Society identifies itself as the largest physician-led organization in the Commonwealth and a leading voice in health policy, public health, and clinical medical education. Dr. Barbara Spivak is a primary care physician and the current president of MMS.

“The gap can be defined in many ways. When we explored various gaps – economic, transport, healthcare, etc. – we used some general guidelines:

The food gap – Low-income individuals and communities are more likely to face disproportionate health outcomes and life expectancy, in part due to a lack of affordable healthy food.

The health gap Early retirements, aging providers, and rising administrative challenges are contributing to a growing gap in timely access to primary care physicians.

The accessibility gap The needs of people with mobility limitations are very diverse. Even in places marked accessible, many people with mobility devices struggle to navigate streets, restaurants, entrances, and basic facilities like public toilets.

The wealth gap – There is a dramatic gap between the average US household wealth, with about 97% of the nation’s wealth owned by the top 50%. This division is most significant when viewed along racial lines.

The transport gap – Communities without reliable access to public transportation are more likely to experience stress, adverse health effects and a lower quality of life.

Our Mind the Gap Quiz relied in part on data from the following sources: