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Kansas at #1

What would it look like if Kansas became the healthiest state in the nation — and what would it take to get there?

In Chapter 5 of Leading Health, we cast a bold vision of what Kansas at #1 in America’s Health Rankings could mean for real people. It would look like fewer Kansans going hungry, more kids reading at grade level, and hundreds of thousands fewer people struggling with substance use — just to name a few. We’re joined by Kenny Wilk, former Kansas legislator and member of the Kansas Board of Regents, now Vice President of Governmental and Community Affairs at the University of Kansas Health System. Alongside Ed and Susan, he shares what it means to cast a vision bold enough to be risky, and why that’s exactly what leadership requires.

Highlights

• In 1991, Kansas was ranked #8 in America’s Health Rankings. Over the next 30 years, we’ve drastically slipped to our lowest at #31 and today, #27. Our goal is #1. 
• If Kansas matched New Hampshire (currently #1), 105,000 fewer Kansans would face food insecurity, 32,000 more kids would read at grade level by 4th grade, 173,000 more Kansans would exercise regularly, and 183,000 fewer Kansans would engage in non-medical drug use.
• The distinction between capital “H” Health (everything that helps people thrive) and lowercase “h” health (healthcare) is central to understanding why this challenge requires more than hospitals and clinics.
• Kenny Wilk draws on his experience leading the Kansas Economic Growth Act and the Bioscience Authority to show how bold, long-term visions can outlast the individuals who cast them.
• Understanding that a vision is “imagining what you cannot see” and being comfortable that casting a bold vision invites scrutiny. 
• How the Kansas Health Foundation’s research on the Economic Case for Health shows that Health is not only an outcome of a great economy, it’s a driver. 
• Progress should be celebrated — incremental wins keep people engaged and moving toward a long-term goal. 

Chapters

• 1:25 – Kansas at Number One Vision
• 2:52 – Pragmatism Meets Idealism
• 3:31 – The Coins and the Climb
• 4:51 – What Kansans Told Us
• 8:04 – If Kansas Matched New Hampshire
• 11:21 – Up to the 30,000
• 11:53 – Meet Kenny Wilk
• 12:55 – Capital “H” vs. Small “h” Health
• 16:42 – Hospitals’ Role in Thriving
• 18:41 – Casting a Risky Vision
• 21:31 – Players Change, Vision Stays
• 22:47 – Imagining the Unseen
• 23:50 – From Concern to Aspiration
• 24:32 – Listening Then Challenging
• 26:56 – Authority to Set Direction
• 28:51 – Scrutiny and Staying Steady
• 29:58 – Quiet Confidence and Decisions
• 32:01 – Kansas Number One Impact
• 34:51 – Health Drives the Economy
• 39:14 – Takeaways and Celebrate Wins
• 43:04 – Next Episode Leadership Challenge

Resources

• America’s Health Rankings
• The Economic Case for Health Report 
• University of Kansas Health System

Leading Health is an invitation to move the needle on Health in Kansas, and we invite you to join us in leading the way. Claim your copy of the book and learn more about the movement.