Dr. Karen Soldatic on Co-Designing Healthcare for Marginalized Communities

What does it really take to make healthcare equitable for marginalized communities? For millions living with disabilities, racialized demographics and women, accessing healthcare can feel more like an obstacle rather than something helpful. It’s neither built for them nor with them in mind. Despite good intentions, many services remain inaccessible, unresponsive, and disconnected from the realities of the people they serve. We often talk about health in terms of medicine and policy. However, seldom do we explore structural bias, digital exclusion, and lack of community participation. In this episode of Disability Dialogues, CERC in Health Equity and Community Wellbeing Chair Dr. Karen Soldatic speaks with Tarndeep Pannu, the Strategic & EDI+Accessibility Communications Specialist at the CERC. Together, they explore how responsible research by design can challenge existing norms and propose new frameworks that prioritize health equity and community wellbeing. They dive into four key pillars, social determinants of health, accessibility, Indigenous health, and digital health, that serve as the foundation for radically rethinking how inclusivity is built into healthcare systems. This conversation shows why health equity needs more than good intentions. Walk away knowing how co-design puts community voices at the center of change. Learn how the four pillars work together to dismantle systemic barriers. Finally, hear what it takes to build healthcare systems that are inclusive by design, not as an afterthought.Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:Understand how the social and structural determinants of health impact marginalized communities and how inclusive research reframes these challenges.Learn actionable strategies for co-designing healthcare services with Indigenous and disabled communities at the center.Explore the complexities of digital health solutions and why accessibility goes far beyond having internet access.ResourcesExplore the CERC in Health Equity and Community Wellbeing’s WebsiteTarndeep Pannu: LinkedIn | CERC Profile Dr. Karen Soldatic: LinkedIn | CERC Profile Toronto Metropolitan University: WebsiteSSHRC – Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council: Website  CIHR – Canadian Institutes of Health Research: Website  NSERC – Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada: WebsiteEnjoyed this Episode?If you did, be sure to subscribe and share it with your friends! Disability Dialogues is a podcast that explores bold ideas, community-led research, and inclusive practices shaping the future of healthcare and wellbeing.Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. Share it with friends and colleagues. Let’s inspire more people to co-create change.Find out more about the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Health Equity and Community Wellbeing at https://www.torontomu.ca/cerc-health-equity/Thank you for tuning in!