Elizabeth Dole Foundation & Cerner Launch Clinical Council to Expand Inclusive Care to More Healthcare Systems

Effort builds upon work the Elizabeth Dole Foundation is doing to support service members, veterans and caregivers

Washington, D.C. (February 16, 2022) Today, in partnership with Cerner Corporation, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation is announcing the launch of the Inclusive Care Clinical Council, a group of healthcare experts, leaders and stakeholders who will assess the impact of the Foundation's Inclusive Care efforts and guide how it can be expanded to healthcare systems. The goals of the Clinical Council are to generate a dialogue around assessing the system-wide impact of inclusive care, identify how inclusive care can be implemented across diverse clinical settings and establish evidence-based best practices and resources around the inclusion of family caregivers and their vital role on their loved ones’ care teams.“This is a bold and ambitious effort. With the valuable insight and expertise of our Clinical Council members, we will be able to delve deeper into the model of inclusive care, identify how inclusive care can be implemented across diverse clinical settings, and establish evidence-based best practices for inclusive care. By joining forces with other healthcare leaders, we have the opportunity to improve health outcomes and quality of life for caregivers, patients, and providers across healthcare systems around the country,” said Steve Schwab, CEO, Elizabeth Dole Foundation.“Cerner proudly supports the Elizabeth Dole Foundation and their efforts to deepen and expand the impact of the Campaign for Inclusive Care,” said Dr. Nasim Afsar, chief health officer, Cerner. “Too often, millions of caregivers face unnecessary hurdles caring for loved ones. The Clinical Council will promote policies and best practices across the commercial and public health space to ease their burdens. Our shared goal is to empower caregivers to play a more active role in their family member’s care team and make it easier for dedicated clinicians to improve health outcomes for their patients.”Together, the two organizations have identified and confirmed a diverse group of healthcare experts, leaders and stakeholders to serve on the Inclusive Care Clinical Council. The representatives, and their healthcare organizations, are committed to helping innovate and push the needle forward as it relates to practices that promote caregiver inclusion in all care settings. Clinical Council members – each chosen for their expertise in managing innovative and/or large cultural change in healthcare – include: Steve Schwab, CEO, Elizabeth Dole Foundation, Council Co-Chair; Dr. Lisa Flynn, Chief Medical Officer, Cerner Government Services, Council Co-Chair; Dr. James Ellzy, MHS GENESIS Clinical Functional Champion, Defense Health Agency, Department of Defense; Dr. Blake Chaffee, Vice President, Integrated Health Care Services, Triwest Healthcare Alliance; Ed Weinberg, President and CEO, OptumServe Health Services; Dr. Patrick Courneya, Chief Health Plan Medical Officer, HealthPartners; Merrill Friedman, Regional Vice President, Inclusive Policy & Advocacy, Anthem; Taylor Justice, Co-Founder and President, UniteUs; Dr. Kevin Faber, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Sanford Health Plan; Suzanne Robinson, Director of National Education Programs, National Alliance on Mental Illness; Dr. John Sherner, Chair of Medicine, Medstar; and Dr. Alefiyah Mesiwala, Chief Medical Officer, Humana Military.About the Elizabeth Dole FoundationThe Elizabeth Dole Foundation is the preeminent organization empowering, supporting, and honoring our nation’s 5.5 million military caregivers – the spouses, parents, family members, and friends who care for America’s wounded, ill or injured veterans at home. Founded by Senator Elizabeth Dole in 2012, the Foundation adopts a comprehensive approach in its support and advocacy, working with leaders in the public, private, nonprofit, and faith communities to recognize military caregivers’ service and promote their well-being. Learn more about the Elizabeth Dole Foundation at www.elizabethdolefoundation.org.About CernerCerner’s health technologies connect people and information systems at thousands of contracted provider facilities worldwide dedicated to creating smarter and better care for individuals and communities. Recognized globally for innovation, Cerner assists clinicians in making care decisions and assists organizations in managing the health of their populations. The company also offers a connected clinical and financial ecosystem to help manage day-to-day revenue functions, as well as a wide range of services to support clinical, financial and operational needs, focused on people. For more information, visit Cerner.com, Cerner Perspectives, connect on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter or join the discussion on Cerner’s podcast Perspectives on Health & Tech. Nasdaq: CERN. Healthcare is too important to stay the same.