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The Federal Communications Commission approved its ninth wave of COVID-19 telehealth program applications, awarding another $16.45 million to healthcare providers across the United States. Of that, $700,000 will be awarded to Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee – a result of the lobbying efforts of McGuireWoods Consulting vice president Edward Hill.
Hill represents Meharry Medical College, the nation’s oldest and largest HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) academic health science center. Located in Nashville, TN, Meharry is dedicated to educating African American physicians, dentists, researchers, and health policy experts. Currently, Meharry provides medical coverage for the three local/state COVID-19 testing sites, and recently collaborated with the National Institutes of Health to test the college’s COVID-19 antiviral drug, which it hopes will eradicate the virus.
Meharry is a loyal health advocate for the Nashville community, particularly those who are uninsured and/or have limited access to medical care. Meharry also provides a variety of medical programs that aid underserved populations to assist in improving their quality of health care. More than 75 percent of Meharry graduates practice in underserved communities, and more than 50 percent of Meharry graduates enter the primary care field. Relative to their dental graduates, Meharry is responsible for 42 percent of African American dentists in the U.S.
In addition to federal procurement opportunities, Hill works with the President of Meharry, Dr. James Hildreth, in calling on the public and private sectors to support the college in its efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19 in African American communities nationwide.
“Recognizing that infectious diseases and deaths are dramatically more common among African Americans, Meharry students, residents, and physicians understand the cultural differences African American patients encounter, which are often overlooked by conventional medical providers,” Hill said. “Accordingly, it is imperative that industry leaders understand that medical, health and wellness facilities are essential to the African American community, and are critical to confronting economic and racial disparities.”