Rising ICON #3: Peter Musimami
What name do you prefer to be called?
Peter.
What are your pronouns?
I just go by Peter Musimami ☺.
Where did you grow up?
Kampala, Uganda.
What city are you currently based in?
Oakdale (St. Paul), MN.
How do you typically introduce yourself to new people?
Hi, my name is Peter Musimami. I’m passionate about using digital technology to address barriers to health for individuals with language access challenges.
What’s one thing you wish more people knew about you?
I enjoy meeting people and I am genuinely interested in their stories.
Who do you help?
Individuals with limited English proficiency that are frustrated with their healthcare experiences and have worse outcomes.
What are you building now?
A digital platform that connects limited English speakers with health literacy information as well as health system resources to help improve their experience and reduce their cost burden.
What were you building ten years ago today?
A networking organization called “Know your community.”
What do you predict of yourself 10 years from now?
I’ll be building something that addresses climate justice or a transportation/mobility related challenges for at risk communities as well as mentoring.
What’s a fact or statistic you wish everyone knew about your industry?
Over half (59%) of serious adverse events affecting limited English speakers are caused by miscommunication.
Why do you believe the work you do matters?
Individuals that have limited English proficiency might be less confident and give up their agency especially in healthcare settings where they have experienced being ignored or discounted and put off needing to engage with preventive care until there is an emergency. I think, that they should be respected equal partners regardless of their English limitations.
Who is your mentor and what is the best advice they’ve given you?
Nick Tietz is one of my mentors and I’ll paraphrase his advice into the snippets I’ve noted during our conversations over the past year. “You can do this; start small; break it down; iterate and unlock value.”
What piece of content about you or your company are you most proud of?
I’m proud about being featured in a MinnPost article on Race & Health Equity - here
What publication do you hope to appear in next?
Rock Heath
Who would you love to be interviewed by?
Dr. Atul Gawande.
If you had to give a TEDTalk tomorrow, what would the title be?
Gentle persistent pressure.
What award would mean the most to win?
Bernard J. Tyson National Award for Excellence in Pursuit of Healthcare Equity.
What makes zero sense to you?
Not trying.
What’s a word in your industry you hope gets re-evaluated?
Health literacy.
What game are you changing?
Health literacy.
What’s the next thing you’re a part of that you want to invite more people to participate in?
Health equity and the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) in healthcare
Where can we follow you online?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/petermusimami/
What’s one thing that makes every leader better?
Listening
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We’re grateful to each Rising ICON for their transformative work. Thank you, Peter, for sharing your story!
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“Individuals that have limited English proficiency might be less confident and give up their agency especially in healthcare settings where they have experienced being ignored or discounted...”
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