Season 4 of The HQ podcast begins with a compelling discussion on what continues to be one of the most pressing issues: planetary health. Healthcare professionals face the dual challenges of responding to the impact our shared climate crisis is having on health and health equity, as well as adapting our health system to lessen its massive contribution to this problem. As such, this episode invites listeners to explore how healthcare can lead the charge in building a sustainable future and to reflect on how we can each use our influence to effect positive change in sustainability and planetary health.

Our special guest, Dr. Alan Greenglass, brings decades of leadership and expertise to the table. A retired primary care internist and former health system executive, Dr. Greenglass has spent his post-clinical career championing environmental advocacy. Collaborating with healthcare professionals, he helped form the Mid-Atlantic Alliance for Climate and Health (MAACH), an alliance that now includes 19 healthcare members united to tackle climate change head-on.

In this thought-provoking conversation, Dr. Greenglass delves into the intersection of healthcare and planetary health, sharing practical strategies to address environmental risks, foster resilience against climate-related challenges, and influence health system policy.

With actionable insights and inspirational stories, this episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to make a meaningful impact in healthcare by advancing sustainability and safeguarding planetary health.

Key Discussions

Why Climate Matters to Healthcare:

We explore why health professionals and systems must prioritise climate issues amid competing demands. Dr. Greenglass provides his “elevator pitch” on why addressing these concerns is critical for the future of healthcare and public health.

Healthcare’s Role in Mitigating Risks:

Dr. Greenglass outlines how healthcare systems can reduce environmental risks to their communities and enhance their resilience against climate-related challenges.

Health Equity and Planetary Health:

We discuss the relationship between planetary health, healthcare, and health equity, examining the interconnected nature of these concepts and their implications for systemic change.

Best Practices and Leadership:

Dr. Greenglass highlights exemplars in the healthcare community who are leading the way in climate and environmental health, offering inspiration and practical takeaways for listeners.

Leadership Beyond Formal Roles:

Addressing the importance of influence, Dr. Greenglass shares insights into how individuals can lead and drive action even without formal leadership titles.

About Alan Greenglass

Alan is a retired primary care internist and health system executive, now living in Delaware. He did his medical training in Providence. He then practiced medicine and managed medical practices in the Hartford area and in New Haven, before continuing his management career in Delaware.

His health care interests have always included population health and the social determinants of health.

He found that the environmental concerns that he and his family have fit well into his current work on the impact of climate change and of environmental degradation on health.

Over the last several years he has collaborated with other health care professionals in the Delaware, South Jersey, Southeast Pennsylvania region to form the Mid-Atlantic Alliance for Climate and Health (MAACH). This Alliance now has 19 member organizations, including those representing health professionals, and also environmental NGOs. The goals of MAACH are to provide education on environmental health topics to other health professionals and to the lay community; to bring the health voice to discussions about climate change, and to influence public policy.

Alan is also the author of a recent book, Curing Physician Management: Why Physician Managers Fail.

Helpful Links:

Alan Greenglass | LinkedIn: Click Here

Curing Physician Management: Why Physician Managers Fail | Book: Click Here

Asthma and Housing Disparities | Dr. Tyra Bryant-Stephens | Article: Click Here

Association of Air Pollution and Heat Exposure With Preterm Birth, LowBirthWeight, and Stillbirth in the US | Dr. Bruce Bekkar | Article: Click Here

Net Zero Healthcare: a call for clinician action | Jodi Sherman | Article: Click Here

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Leaders Make a Difference: Dr. Alan Greenglass on What Healthcare Professionals Can Do to Drive Planetary Health Improvements

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