NewHavenBIZ

24 n e w h a v e n B I Z | J a n u a r y 2 0 2 3 | n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m F O C U S : H e a l t h C a r e Black, but only 1.8% of clinical trial participants were Black. "We can't ensure the [disease] is being effectively treated for all the dis- parate populations it purports to serve," he said. But increasing minority participa- tion in clinical trials, Aniskovich said, requires addressing a legacy of mis- trust and skepticism of medical testing among minority populations. "We have a history [in the United States] of placing communities of color in the margins," Aniskovich said. High-profile examples like the Tuskegee experiment created a lasting impression. e 40-year U.S. Public Health Service study of untreated syphilis in Black males — without their consent — from 1932 to 1972, resulted in 128 deaths. But distrust is only one issue. Anis- kovich said factors such as socioeco- nomics, health literacy, language and geography — which can impact access to care — are also important. "African-Americans [and Hispanics] aren't a monolithic block," he said. "A 45-year-old Black man from Mississippi might have a very different perspective than a 25-year-old Black man from Boston." As a result, Jumo employs a custom- izable approach to its materials. "We need to be more flexible based on who we're trying to educate," he said. Clinical trial recruitment To gain diverse healthcare consumer insights, Jumo partners with numer- ous patient and healthcare advocacy groups across the world, including the International Children's Advisory Net- work (ICAN), a global consortium of youth advisory councils that provides a voice for children and their families in medicine, research and innovation. Leanne West, chief engineer of pedi- atric technology at Georgia Tech and president of ICAN, a volunteer-run organization, said that providing youth participants a voice, particularly those with rare diseases, is empowering for children. "Participating in clinical trials helps kids take back over their life a bit from a disease that has taken so much from them," West said. "Many kids, even if [the pharmaceutical] being developed may not be in time to help them, don't want the next child to go through what they did." West said that Jumo Health has captured the real-life experiences of ICAN-affiliated patients. "Whether it's books or [animated] videos, what Jumo is doing helps to alleviate the fears a kid might have and makes it more likely they'll be able to recruit them for a [trial]." Successful recruitment and reten- tion of participants not only impacts the efficacy of the clinical trials, but the cost as well. e National Institute of Biomedical Information estimates it costs more than $6,500 to recruit one patient to a clinical trial and, on average, 30% drop out. Studies by Forte Research have shown that 80% of trials are delayed at least one month due to lost patients, with potential losses ranging from $60,000 to several million dollars per day. To address that challenge in addition to its educational services, Aniskovich said Jumo will begin to provide a clin- ical trial recruitment service in 2023, with an exclusive focus on recruiting individuals of color. It's part of the company's five-year strategic plan. Aniskovich remains bullish on his company's future. Retention of phar- maceutical clients hovers at 90 percent and Jumo is actively hiring more staff to meet market demand. He also said the company, which actively studies how diverse consumer groups consume information, is ex- ploring M&A activity to expand some of its digital product offerings. "We have a consumer-driven healthcare market now." Aniskovich said. "We need to explain complicated clinical trials in ways that people can understand and, most importantly, act upon." n Continued from page 22 New Haven's Jumo Health As part of its offerings, Jumo Health films real patient stories to help other patients understand a disease or treatment. YNHH currently consists of five hospitals: Bridgeport, Greenwich, Lawrence + Memorial, Yale New Haven and Westerly, along with its Northeast Medical Group network of practitioners. e system is set to expand in the next year or so with the acquisition of three more hospitals, Continued from page 22 Yale New Haven Health Waterbury, Manchester Memorial and Rockville General hospitals. e deal to acquire the three hospitals from Prospect Medical Holdings, announced in October, is currently in the regulatory review process. YNHH filed initial Certificate of Need forms with the state's Office of Health Strategy on Nov. 28, and is awaiting a decision. Adding the three hospitals, Kosyla said, will help patients across the state access quality care and provide economies of scale. Consolidation in the state's healthcare industry has raised concerns about the impact on the cost of care, and studies have shown that it can lead to higher prices for patients. In order to prevent future layoffs, Kosyla said the system will be looking to redeploy workers as it shis its services and managers. It will also be scrutinizing open positions. 'Exodus in the labor force' Growth potential for the system includes the Prospect hospitals, Kosyla said, along with the major new neuroscience institute announced this year for the St. Raphael's campus and an ongoing expansion of services at Smilow Cancer Hospital and of cancer care at all the system's outposts. "When you think about the long term you want to build for the future," Kosyla said. "You don't want to build for what's happening right now." YNHH is also facing labor force issues as more healthcare workers retire and leave the industry. "Our healthcare workers went through so much," Kosyla said. "ere's just been an exodus in the labor force." "at's really a huge challenge — really looking at the way we do business," Kosyla said of the issues facing hospital systems. "Building more efficiencies into the way that we operate is going to be really important." Kosyla said she has confidence that YNHH's leadership can lead the system through the current financial turmoil due to their commitment to the mission of providing quality health care. "at connection to mission — I felt that all through my interview process," Kosyla said. "So far it's been a great move, and I'm looking forward to a great future." n A view of the Yale New Haven Hospital campus. PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED

• Cover