Orange County has long worked to level the playing field for those who need access to health care services, said Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings.

In this episode of the Inspiring Wholeness podcast, presented by AdventHealth in partnership with the OBJ, Demings discusses bridging the health gap in Central Florida with Dr. Alric Simmonds, chief health equity officer and vice president and chief medical officer of AdventHealth's Celebration campus.
Demings is the first African American to serve as the mayor of Orange County. He’s always been a trailblazer, making history as Orlando's first African American police chief, and Orange County’s first African American sheriff.
This episode is a powerful reminder of the collaborative work needed to give everyone access to health care. Tune in to hear about:

• What Orange County is doing to bridge the health gap and the biggest progress so far (1:08)
• What it means to be the inaugural chief health equity officer at AdventHealth (2:34)
• How local governments and health care providers can collaborate more effectively to bridge the health gap in Central Florida (4:57)
• Innovative approaches for providing access to health care services in underserved communities (11:16)
• Measuring the success of health care initiatives (12:42)
• How AdventHealth supports and advances the careers of African American health care professionals and how these efforts contribute to bridging the health gap (22:26)

“What we have to do is get to a point where we’ve giving equitable care — giving care by meeting patients where they are in their struggle,” Simmonds said.
AdventHealth has provided whole-person care for 115 years. Today, our services, including cancer, cardiac, neurosurgery, orthopedics and a dedicated women’s and children’s hospital are rated among the nation’s best. Learn more at feelhealthyfeelwhole.com.
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