Becker’s Healthcare Podcast
Episode: Strengthening Rural and Community Health at Advocate Health
Date: September 11, 2025
Guests:
- Dr. Wando Olayola, President, National Center for Clinical and Community Impact & SVP, Advocate Health
- Dr. Matt Anderson, Chief Physician Executive, North Carolina/Georgia Division, Advocate Health
Host: Scott Becker
Episode Overview
This episode explores Advocate Health’s approach to strengthening rural and community health, delving into strategic efforts to improve care access, workforce development, technology integration, and leadership’s role in transforming healthcare delivery. Dr. Olayola and Dr. Anderson offer insights into how Advocate leverages its national reach while maintaining a sensitive, community-specific focus—especially in rural regions facing unique challenges.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Advocate Health’s Commitment to Community & Rural Health
- Dr. Olayola explains the mission: The National Center for Clinical and Community Impact focuses on “understanding differences in health outcomes and experiences of care for people from all different communities and applying kind of a community health approach... designing programs and services that respond to those needs and working with the community to improve their overall health.” (01:36)
- The center operates across urban and rural environments, emphasizing responsive and collaborative initiatives that reflect local uniqueness.
2. Advocate as a Major Rural Health Provider
- Advocate Health is “one of the largest providers of rural healthcare in the nation,” an underappreciated aspect given its large, multi-state footprint (04:25).
- The system serves diverse geographies—“dairy farms in Wisconsin, rural communities in Georgia and North Carolina”—striving for “cutting edge, high quality, really technology-inspired and patient-centered care no matter where you are.” (05:06)
- The rural health strategy focuses on expanding reach and impact: “How do we really, for this next iteration of our rural health effort, do even more, do even better, reach more communities, touch more lives, improve the health of more communities?” (06:03)
3. Tailoring Care to Community Needs
- Macro and Micro Approach: Olayola emphasizes designing for system-wide rural impact but grounding solutions at the “person that lives on this street, that works on this farm” level (06:28).
- “Every community... looks different. Their needs are different, their challenges are different, their resources and opportunities are different. And so I think the ability to think of this macro lens across the enterprise, but also really deeply understand the needs of very specific communities and adapt...” (06:28)
4. Addressing Workforce Shortages in Rural Health
- Advocate is “harnessing local talent” by creating exposure, pathways, and training programs for community members interested in healthcare (07:44).
- “Trying to make sure that we are really thoughtful about building into, cultivating, curating, harnessing and training local talent to be able to be people that will serve in the communities that they come from.” (08:15)
- Dr. Anderson adds: Workforce solutions require “engaging people in new and different ways,” recognizing that care teams drive economic development and stability in rural areas (09:02).
5. Leveraging Technology and Innovation
- “So many times what is really needed is the ability to connect the person with a clinical need or clinical question with the person with clinical knowledge... because of all the things that are going on in the technological space... we're now able to break down those barriers.” (09:23)
- Advocate uses technology to bridge geographic divides, enabling better patient-clinician connections, flexible care models (e.g., telehealth), and increased access—even facilitating hybrid and follow-up care (09:36).
6. The "Menu" Approach: System Resources, Local Flexibility
- Dr. Anderson details the intentionality behind system-wide offerings: “Give our operators in rural communities a menu of services and options... they can look at that and say, okay, like that's the 80, 20 rule... do it slightly differently. But we all know what the spirit of what we're trying to accomplish is.” (11:14)
- The aim is standardization where possible, but empowerment and adaptability at the local level.
7. Spotlight on Labor and Delivery in Rural Markets
- The closure of labor and delivery units is a critical crisis.
- Dr. Olayola: “We believe fundamentally at Advocate Health that you should be able to be born where your parents want you to be born and not have to... travel hundreds of miles...” (13:35)
- Advocate invests in training providers within rural communities, particularly in OB/GYN and family medicine, and seeks to bolster support and retention for these professionals.
- Broader solutions include improving transportation infrastructure and advocating for cross-state licensure to expand the provider pool (14:21).
8. Leadership and Lifelong Learning
- Both guests have pursued advanced degrees and ongoing education, viewing it as essential for impact and adaptability.
- Dr. Anderson: “You make an impact by being around smart people and by learning how they do things and see the world and, you know, acquire new skills.... keeping that perspective and hopefully that humility of saying, look, I'm here to try to make things better, I can make a better version of myself by continuing to learn and observe.” (16:11)
- Dr. Olayola recalls: “Live as if you're going to die tomorrow, but learn as if you're going to live forever. …being around colleagues... that each have a piece of leadership or style or an approach that I think, you know, you take them individually, put them as a collective, and you're better.... Healthcare is just constantly evolving. If you're stuck in something that you used to do... you're not going to really be able to provide the best.” (19:26)
Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments
- Macro and Micro Balance:
- “I just love the ability to go from this large view down to like, what does this person that lives on this street, that works on this farm, actually need to be healthy?” – Dr. Olayola (06:44)
- Technology’s Promise:
- “Because of all the things going on in the technological space... we're now able to break down those barriers.” – Dr. Anderson (09:23)
- Workforce Development:
- “Trying to make sure that we are really thoughtful about building into, cultivating, curating, harnessing and training local talent...” – Dr. Olayola (08:15)
- Mission-driven Birth Access:
- “You should be able to be born where your parents want you to be born and not have to have people traveling hundreds of miles.” – Dr. Olayola (13:36)
- Lifelong Learning:
- “Live as if you're going to die tomorrow, but learn as if you're going to live forever.” – Dr. Olayola, quoting Gandhi (19:26)
- “Keeping that perspective and hopefully that humility... I can make a better version of myself by continuing to learn and observe.” – Dr. Anderson (16:33)
Timestamps for Major Segments
| Timestamp | Topic | |-----------|--------------------------------------------------| | 01:36 | Community Impact mission (Dr. Olayola) | | 04:25 | Advocate’s rural health footprint (Dr. Olayola) | | 06:28 | Macro/micro approach to rural health needs | | 07:44 | Nurturing local healthcare talent | | 09:02 | Workforce, technology, economic development (Dr. Anderson) | | 11:14 | System resources vs. community flexibility (Dr. Anderson) | | 13:35 | Labor & delivery access and challenges | | 16:11 | Importance of lifelong learning (Dr. Anderson) | | 19:26 | Lifelong learning & leadership (Dr. Olayola) |
Concluding Thoughts
The episode demonstrates Advocate Health’s multifaceted approach to strengthening rural health:
- Creating adaptable, community-specific care solutions
- Building and retaining a local healthcare workforce
- Embracing technology to bridge access gaps
- Advocating policy changes to facilitate care
- Fostering leadership grounded in continual learning
Dr. Olayola and Dr. Anderson’s perspectives show deep commitment to equity, innovation, and leadership in transforming rural and community health for the future.