‘Passionate about health equity’: Alicia Hardy, CEO of OLE Health in Napa and Solano counties
Alicia Hardy, CEO of OLE Health in Napa, believes comprehensive, quality health care shouldn’t be reserved for those whose wallets are the fattest.
“I’m so passionate about health equity,” the 45-year-old said. “Everyone should have a right to access high quality care. We need to find a way to provide that.”
OLE Health is the only nonprofit health center in Napa County. OLE has seven clinics in Napa and Solano counties that serve nearly 40,000 patients; some of whom are the most vulnerable in the community.
Next summer, it combines forces with CommuniCare Health Centers in Yolo County. Previously reported as to be completed in January, Hardy said the merger was delayed six months to ensure there would be no disruption in revenues or billing what with all the state and federal agencies the health care providers deal with.
Besides working on equitable health care, Hardy is cognizant health care workers are enduring “multiyear pandemic fatigue” that has led many of them to leave the profession.
“There has been a lot of discussion about strategies to mobilize different levels of health care workers,” Hardy said. This means a community health clinic might be less reliant on having physicians on staff, but could instead have mid-levels. Staffing shortages are affecting medical facilities throughout the nation, not just locally. “We need to be strategic with the time and resources we have. This is more of a long-term strategy. It’s bigger than the pandemic.”
The following Q&A has been edited for clarity and space.
As of July 1 OLE Health and CommuniCare Health Centers will become one entity. Why merge with the Davis-based entity?
CommuniCare and OLE have very similar DNA, making organizations vital community partners. We provide similar services, we share a common mission, and we are both deeply rooted in our communities.
As the health care landscape continues to shift, uniting as one entity is a strategic step that better positions both organizations to meet the new challenges that lie ahead. Part of the decision is about financial sustainability, but it is also about elevating the position of the organization to better advocate for resources and policy changes that will improve our delivery system overall.
OLE and CommuniCare both celebrated 50-year anniversaries in 2022. What do you attribute the longevity to?
Our longevity is a result of the deep connection we have to our patients, to our employees, and to our communities, as well as the generous support of donors and funders over the years.
Each year the need for services only continues to grow and the commitment of our staff and our teams to meet this need is an important part of our ability to sustain our respective organizations.
The merger means the new entity will have 17 sites serving more than 71,000 patients across Napa, Solano and Yolo counties. How do you anticipate your job as CEO will change going forward?
When we expanded into Solano County, the primary shift was building new relationships in the county and understanding the differences in the landscape and unique needs of the community.
I anticipate that the merger with Yolo will feel similar, developing relationships with local government and other stakeholders. The difference will be new relationships with everyone on the CommuniCare side, integrating our teams and our cultures and creating a shared vision for the future.
I also expect to spend more time personally visiting each of the sites and investing in broad communication to ensure that we are all on the same page and moving in the same direction.
What aspect about your industry keeps you up at night?
So many, but if I had to choose, I would say the gaps in our health care system and the well being of our workforce.
There is not enough access to specialty care. There is not enough insurance coverage for everything our patients need. The system is confusing and difficult to navigate, and the administrative burden is heavy.
We do everything we can to help, including offering care coordination and eligibility and enrollment assistance, but for our patients the barriers are many.
(Also,) our workforce has spent the past three years providing care during the pandemic, and that comes with compound stress and a collective mental and emotional fatigue that our care teams feel every day.
The needs of our patients are increasingly complex, resources and time are limited, and there is never enough access to meet the need. I worry about supporting the mental health and well-being of our care teams and the constant pressure of offering that support when we work in a high-pressure, high-volume system.