Melissa Denino (Senior Director of Market Access, Innsena)

Can you explain your job to a five-year-old? 

I help companies in technology, like apps and computer systems, break into the Medicaid population. And what the Medicaid population is, is it’s designed to help underserved and underprivileged people.

What excites you most about your job?

I am privileged enough to work for a company that really believes in making a change. And they really do believe that healthcare should be for all and not just for those that can pay for it. And because of that and the reputation that my company has, we have the capability of being able to pick those individuals—not only do they get to pick us, but we get to pick them as well—and really make sure that they align with what our values and goals are. And those values and goals are just, in general, making sure that all people are healthy. And I'm extremely happy and privileged to be in this situation where I get to really push my beliefs out in that way.

In addition to being able to align with those organizations that mean something to us and that are doing things that we truly believe in, Innsena does allow us to pick a passion project, which aligns with what our goals are personally. And that's where my passion project. I work in justice-involved healthcare, specifically with those who are getting released, so that they have access to Medicaid prior and can get care for conditions like substance use disorder and behavioral health. Being at Innsena has allowed me to really pursue that and allowed me to work alongside other organizations that have that value instilled in them.

People that I love or loved dearly got unfortunately mixed up i a scenario that ended up in them being incarcerated, and unfortunately, to that extent, they were in and out of the system, they lost the ability to communicate, got diagnosed with a behavioral health issue while they were in there, and then when they got released, they didn't have the resources to make sure that they were getting the proper care.

I work with an organization called the Realness Project. They go into the jail systems and they help people with their communication skills. Not even necessarily for when they get out, but for while they're in there, so that they can communicate and have a sustainable way of life in the system.

Which trend will change the future of medicine? 

Health-related social needs or SDOH. Really being able to understand why an individual might not be getting that care that they might need—whether it's due to them not having access to care or them not having a place to put their A1C medication. 

There are organizations that are helping individuals who are going into the hospital system repetitively for not taking their diabetes medication. And the reason why they weren't taking their diabetes medication was because they didn't have a refrigerator to store it in. And them buying a refrigerator just reduced all of that cost of care that was associated with all of those hospital visits, just by really taking into account what's going on in that individual's everyday life.

Looking back, which trends have you missed or underestimated? 

I don't think I've actually underestimated much, because I always think of the broadest possibilities. But funny story, the reason why I'm in the position that I'm in right now is I used to be a billing coder in a medical office and Meaningful Use came out and my boss did not think that was a real thing and she refused to do it. I was 20-something at the time, and she was like, “Hey, you're gonna do this. You're gonna learn this.” And that's what I did, and that's how I actually got into the world of health IT. 

Then, I watched it unfold and literally got hired by the organization that I hired to teach me to do Meaningful Use. Yeah. So really, life is weird with all of its possibilities. That's why I really don't think that I've underestimated many trends because they make all things that are possible.

Which MedTech initiative or startup deserves more attention? 

Like I said before, I have a big passion for people in justice-involved healthcare and for SDOH. I really think initiatives it’s important to highlight initiatives where they align, the community, the HIE, and the social health network as well, when they integrate where they're collaborating and all of that information is being digested. 

For instance, one of the organizations that we work with is called NinePatch, and what they do is they do RIE, referral information exchange, as well as SDOH and they're able to incorporate those two functions. The story that I gave you specifically about the refrigerator was theirs. 

But being able to communicate those social-related needs and those clinical needs all in one platform I  feel is really something that needs to have more attention, where those two different types of networks speak to each other.

Where would you put a million dollars? 

Invest in organizations like Innsena that are going to bring to light the need for technology in the Medicaid space and for those individuals to get the healthcare that they need. 

What's the best advice you've ever received? 

Count to three. I have a horrible habit of being uncomfortable with silence in a conversation. So I feel the need to answer—and I've gotten better—I feel the need to answer immediately upon being asked a question. And that will sometimes lead to giving the wrong answer, being quoted incorrectly—which I'm trusting you not to do! But really, just counting to three and allowing for you to ingest the question or whatever conversation is taking place. And also, allowing for the individual that is speaking to you to possibly continue, because sometimes they're not done.