Exploring Healthcare Challenges with Irina Grafova: Medical Debt and Provider Burnout

Dean Stuart Shapiro hosts health administration Associate Professor Irina Grafova on EJB Talks this week, discussing her transition from labor economics to health economics and her research focusing on medical debt and provider burnout. She explains how medical conditions can impact family situations, often leading to medical debt due to high out-of-pocket costs and reduced income from productivity loss. Grafova suggests potential solutions like financial navigation programs and revising income support policies for long-term disability. She also highlights her research on nurse burnout, emphasizing the need for evidence-based interventions to address workforce management and retention strategies. They conclude with a conversation on the interdisciplinary nature of health administration students and the importance of their diverse experiences in her teaching.