Learning from “A Teachable Moment”

There aren’t many times you should listen to a healthcare CEO’s movie recommendations (and I say that as one), but this is one of those exceptions. I won’t tell you to “run, don’t walk” to see A Teachable Moment (since it isn’t in theaters—you can see excerpts here). And I won’t play film critic and give it four stars. However, I will tell you that the film’s four stars, all stroke survivors, are what make the documentary so memorable. Mark French, Roderick Dunston, @ Anne Dailey and Lee Stroy are four extraordinary stroke survivors that tell their stories about living through a medical emergency that radically alters an American’s life every 40 seconds.?

?Through my work with the American Heart Association (AHA), I first saw A Teachable Moment more than three years ago. The documentary makes the point that 80% of all strokes are preventable, but these courageous storytellers and the physicians in this movie go far beyond statistics to explain how you can recognize the symptoms of a stroke and act quickly (more on that here). In addition to promoting awareness of how to prevent strokes we can all do as individuals in our communities, Change Healthcare decided to harness the energy of our more than 14,000 team members to help each other and those in the communities where we work and live to recognize the risk factors, signs and symptoms of strokes, and know how to react if a stroke strikes them or a loved one. Change Healthcare has also helped support the AHA’s work financially; in the time since A Teachable Moment was released, Change has given more than $625,000 to the AHA through sponsorship and employee fundraising. But most importantly, Change Healthcare employees are engaged in their communities through participating in the company’s Heart Walk team and related events in 30 cities nationwide.?

Different Orgs, Shared Goals

Our collaboration with the American Heart Association is not just a charitable endeavor. Despite how different our organizations are, there is a lot of overlap in our respective missions.?In 2018, the AHA changed its mission statement to read: “To be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives." A big part of that mission involves educating the public on the causes, symptoms and treatments of cardiovascular disease. For our part, here at Change Healthcare we also think of ourselves as a “relentless force” for a more efficient and effective healthcare system. A big part of that effort is creating technologies that empower patients and providers with more and better information so they can make informed choices about their care.

The Stars of A Teachable Moment: 4 Brave Survivors, 4 Dedicated Doctors

The four stars of the film I mentioned earlier are the heart and soul of A Teachable Moment. Their courage in the face of possibly debilitating strokes is extraordinary. One of them, Lee Stroy, a father of five who had a stroke at age 37, spoke movingly about how important family and community were to his recovery: “The most important part of my recovery has been love,” he said. Amazingly, in their own ways, each of the four stroke survivors profiled not only face their own crises bravely, but they also “pay it forward.” That is, dedicating themselves not only to their own recovery but also to helping others cope with the aftermath of stroke. And hopefully, by opening up their lives to the filmmakers, to help others avoid strokes in the first place.

?That’s where the experts in the film come in. Doctors Alexander Dromerick, Dean Ornish, Neal Barnard and Richard Benson detail the science of stroke, recovery, risk factors and prevention. As mentioned earlier, many strokes can be prevented with lifestyle interventions. Many are simpler than you think. The four doctors in A Teachable Moment have each dedicated themselves to public advocacy in health literacy, a hugely important area that has big impacts on patient outcomes.

Sadly, Mark French, the driving force behind the making of A Teachable Moment, and Roderick Dunston, who founded an eponymous organization dedicated to reducing the incidence and impact of strokes, have passed-away since the release of the film. Their legacies, however, are secure

Michael Johnson: Gold-medal winning Olympian, stroke survivor

As the fifth leading cause of death and the leading cause of disability in the United States, strokes can be devastating. But recognizing when you or a loved one is suffering a stroke can lead to fast action that lessens the impact dramatically.?If you don’t know what to look for, the initial signs of stroke can be hard to recognize. As I watch the first few days of the Olympics, I’m reminded of multiple gold-medal winning sprinter Michael Johnson, who suffered a stroke a few years ago. He and his wife thought the symptoms of a stroke would be more obvious than they were. Luckily, he got medical attention quickly and now speaks movingly about his experiences, including the importance of knowing the symptoms of a stroke and acting rapidly. You can see the video he did with the AHA here.

There is a mnemonic to help remember the signs of stroke and when to take immediate action: FAST. “F” for Face - ask the person to smile. Is one side of their face drooping? “A” for Arms - have the person lift their arms. Is one weak? “S” for speech. Ask the person to speak. Are they slurring their words? And finally, “T” for Time. Call 911 at the first sign of a stroke. Everyone can go to the AHA’s website to learn more.

Thank You AHA, and to Mark, Roderick, Anne and Lee

I applaud the work of the AHA, and the bravery of Mark, Roderick, Anne and Lee and their families. At Change Healthcare, we seek to help people live longer, healthier lives. And sometimes a movie reminds us how powerful a mission that is.