In this week's episode of “Podnosis,” we look at the major health disparities facing Native Americans and explore what can be done to make meaningful improvements. 

Misty Wilkie, Ph.D., RN, a clinical associate professor at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing, has a deep understanding of the challenges in obtaining high-quality care, drawing from her own experiences as an American Indian. In a conversation with Anastassia Gliadkovskaya from Fierce, she shares her efforts to enhance diversity and cultural competency within the healthcare system. 

To learn more about the topics in this episode: 

• 2 in 5 Native Americans visit ER due to diabetes complications, survey finds

• Systemic racism, nonstandard data collection hamper hospital equity officers' efforts, survey shows

• Maternal death rates nearly doubled in 2 decades, study finds. Inconsistent data collection also hampers improvement efforts

• Commonwealth Fund gives healthcare in southeastern states failing grades across the board