Vin Gupta and the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) are often in the media because of their widely-followed scenarios on likely cases, hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-19. Now, Vin – physician, professor, public health expert and principal scientist at Amazon for the company’s pandemic response and healthcare initiatives – looks ahead to healthcare in the years to come, and how we need to prepare.

COVID-19 caused a massive acceleration to virtual care. But usage has been distributed unevenly across populations and among healthcare specialties. How does virtual care become the rising tide that lifts all boats when it comes to improving access and outcomes?

Healthcare is more confusing, complicated and costly than ever. But advances in technology and data capture could mean more personalized, streamlined experiences for patients, with better value and alignment for employers. Is real change on the horizon?

In-person healthcare visits screeched to a halt at the onset of the coronavirus. Virtual visits surged but delays in cancer screenings, cardiovascular care, elective surgeries and dental and eye care may have serious consequences. When will we understand the true impact of delayed care on health outcomes? Are we facing a “V-shaped” resurgence in employer healthcare costs?

People with cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes – historically high-cost conditions for employers – have been at high risk for complications for COVID-19. Can new treatments and approaches enable us to more effectively address these illnesses? How much will this cost employers?

Global travel, climate change and urban crowding are factors that point to an increased risk of new pandemics during the coming years. Healthy people with well-functioning immune systems are more likely to weather such health crises, so how do we better prepare our employee populations for what lies ahead?

Internationally-recognized expert and co-founder of the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute, Jack Groppel, tells us how to strengthen our minds in preparation for what’s coming next – a new pandemic, massive social unrest or an at-work crisis. Resilience is key – but that’s not all that we - and our employees - need.

We’ve all heard that empathetic leadership is key to successfully navigating employees through tough times. But what is empathetic leadership? And what role does storytelling play in helping us understand diverse experiences and create a culture of true inclusion? An ex-employee at Deutsche Bank and PwC, TLC Lions founder and CEO Gian Power shares his own mental health struggles and what he’s learned about the power of storytelling to transform workplaces.

In the face of the COVID crisis, employers expanded mental health offerings for employees and their families. What more is needed now to create a “mental health safety net” to deal with the long-term effects emerging from this traumatic period?

As employers look ahead to life and work beyond COVID-19, they need to be thinking about rapidly emerging health crises that transcend geographical location—chronic disease, health inequity, declining mental wellbeing, and low employee engagement. Dr. David Batman and Dr. Mark Cunningham-Hill discuss how employers can best address global challenges head on.

It took decades for women to achieve some semblance of equality in the workplace. But the pandemic’s fallout left many struggling to balance the competing demands of work and family. How can we better support families, prevent women from leaving the workforce and avoid a potential drain on talent?

In one benefits leader’s words: “I’m now also the company epidemiologist, work-from home expert and ergonomics specialist, in addition to my day job.” What skills and competencies do benefits leaders need to succeed in our new reality?

COVID-19 combined with the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others provided a stark demonstration of how systemic racism affects the health, safety and lives of Black Americans and other minorities. Former Supreme Court Justice Lewis Brandeis said “sunlight is the best disinfectant.” What role can employers play now in ensuring that BIPOC populations get the care they need?

Health and benefits strategies have been central to organizational efforts to quickly implement work-from-home mandates, protect the safety of essential employees in the workplace, and maintain a culture that’s productive and fosters wellbeing.