When you think of healthcare innovation, you may think of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered medical devices that can diagnose diseases quicker than a doctor or devices that can regenerate bone after surgery.

But if you ask Kyu Rhee, president and CEO of the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), the “most innovative part” of the healthcare system is one that’s already been around for 60 years: community health centers (CHCs).

Established in 1965 as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty, CHCs provide primary healthcare services including chronic disease management, cancer screening, dentistry, behavioral health, and more to patients regardless of whether they can pay or are insured.

Today, CHCs treat nearly 1 in 10 people across the US. As head of NACHC, which represents the roughly 1,500 CHCs across the US, Rhee has big plans to expand that number to 1 in 3.

“I do believe when you look at the broader system, there’s no better model of primary care,” Rhee said. “Our model is very focused on those communities that need us the most, and in many ways, it’s defined by people who are low income or poor.”

Learn more about Rhee’s journey and goals here.—MA

It’s time yet again for pharma companies to report their earnings. And while it’s sure to be a mixed bag, one thing is certain: Tariffs are going to come up.

That’s because the White House on July 28 announced 15% tariffs on pharmaceutical products imported from Europe to the US. Though this is much lower than the previously threatened 200% tariffs, analysts reportedly told Reuters the trade deal could still cost the pharma industry as much as $19 billion.

“Every dollar spent on tariffs is a dollar that cannot be invested in American manufacturing or the development of future treatments and cures for patients,” Alex Schriver, SVP of public affairs at drug industry group PhRMA, said in an emailed statement. “Placing tariffs on medicines would be counterproductive to these efforts.”

President Trump also sent letters at the end of July to top execs at 17 pharma companies like Pfizer, AbbVie, Novo Nordisk, Bristol Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson, and more, giving them 60 days to lower drug prices.

Here’s what Big Pharma had to say this quarter.—NO, MA

Working in leadership at a hospital can be complicated—there are a range of education and job functions, all while everyone is ultimately responsible for patient care. HR Brew recently sat down with Nancy Maldonado, chief diversity officer at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, to discuss launching the organization’s DEI team, how she measures success, and the unique challenges at her border-city hospital.

Pathway to diversity officer. Maldonado didn’t plan on a career in DEI, and began in health and wellness with a master’s degree in exercise physiology, then developed her own consulting business for corporate wellness programs.

She was working on her PhD in public health when an opportunity arose with the American Heart Association. “I started working [for a] nonprofit, and then just fell in love with this idea of, ‘I can make a living by doing really great work,’” Maldonado said, and worked as a community health director before moving onto the Chicano Federation, a social services organization.

The nonprofit work taught Maldonado about equity work, and advocating for communities of color, so she felt prepared when Rady Children’s Hospital created the chief diversity and inclusion officer role in 2022.

Keep reading on HR Brew.—KP

For decades, women’s health was ignored—now it’s booming. Explore how innovation, digital care, and soaring investments are transforming care for half the population. From overlooked symptoms to billion-dollar markets, this is the future of women’s health. Read why change is unstoppable.