blue cross blue shield of north carolina

The ability to access affordable childcare in Watauga County remains as much a part of the conversation around economic prosperity as accessing affordable housing. Even if you don't have a child that requires childcare, chances are you work with someone that does, and workforce reliability remains an important topic for all to consider. Also, from a workforce retention standpoint, employers that remain educated about the opportunities and challenges that staff members are facing when it comes to finding childcare are more likely to retain employees when they align resources and policies in ways that are supportive

On this week's Mind Your Business, we visit with Virginia Ford and Wes Berry of The Children's Council of Watauga County and Halee Hartley, Owner of Kid Cove, as we discuss the current State of Childcare in Watauga County, and how agencies, businesses, and local government are all working together to improve circumstances for children, their families, and the workforce that drives the industry.

Mind Your Business is a weekly production of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce and is made possible through the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.

Health food is the key to a healthy life. Studies show that the leading risk factor for chronic diseases is poor nutrition.

Two local businesses are teaming up to bring fresh, local foods to those that are looking to improve their diets and combat medical conditions.

On this week's Mind Your Business, we learn more about the Food is Medicine Program.

Hunger and Health Coalition collects and distributes healthy foods to help prevent and manage chronic illnesses like Type 2 Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Hypertension. They provide medically tailored food boxes catered to your specific nutrition needs.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina sees Food is Medicine as a pathway to preventative care, and works with organizations like Hunger and Health Coalition to fund the costs of the program and prioritize the communication of this program as a member benefit.

Hear about the connection between Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina's Boone Center and the staff at Hunger and Health Coalition, and how these two organizations are working daily to bring farm fresh foods to health kitchen tables across the High Country.

Mind your Business is produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible each week by Appalachian Commercial Real Estate and sponsored in part by UNC Health Appalachian.

In this episode, John discusses Our Take on health care news in the first half of April 2019. He covers the Times/ProPublica report on Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the proposed merger between Atrium Health and Wake Forest Baptist Health, and other top stories through April 15.

• A new report by The New York Times and ProPublica says leadership at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) “repeatedly violated policies on financial conflicts of interest,” resulting in an environment in which “profits appeared to take precedence over research and patient care.”
• Charlotte, N.C.-based Atrium Health signed a memorandum of understanding with Winston Salem, N.C.-based Wake Forest University and Wake Forest Baptist Health to create a “transformative academic health care system.” The organizations said they have entered into a period of exclusive negotiations to agree on terms, and intend to arrive at a final agreement later this year.

About Darwin Research Group
Darwin Research Group Inc. provides advanced market intelligence and in-depth customer insights to health care executives, with a strategic focus on health care delivery systems and the global shift toward value-based care. Darwin’s client list includes forward-thinking biopharmaceutical and medical device companies, as well as health care providers, private equity, and venture capital firms. The company was founded in 2010 as Darwin Advisory Partners, LLC and is headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz. with a satellite office in Princeton, N.J.