More than 83,000 Americans die each year from preventable causes because they lack access to health care. For more than four decades, George Rust, M.D., has dedicated his career to addressing the barriers preventing access – through service in migrant farmworker clinics, leadership in community health initiatives, and mentoring the next generation of medical professionals.

In a recent episode of The Healthy Project Podcast, Rust discussed why and how health disparities persist in the United States. He also explored the concept of earning trust in communities, the importance of cultural humility in medicine, and the ways COVID-19 revealed long-standing vulnerabilities in public health systems.

Rust expands on these themes in his new book, Healing in a Changing America: Doctoring a Nation of Needless Suffering, which examines how unequal access within the health care system contributes to preventable suffering and offers practical strategies for improving health outcomes across communities.

Listen to the episode here

Order the book here