- Press Release -

Quality Insights Delivers Impactful Poverty Simulator for WVHA Leadership Academy



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CHARLESTON, WV | MAY 19, 2025

Quality Insights brought its Community Action Poverty Simulator (CAPS) to the West Virginia Hospital Association (WVHA) Leadership Academy on May 15 at Stonewall Resort. The immersive experience transformed the resort’s spacious ballroom into a microcosm of financial hardship, challenging participants to navigate the complex web of obstacles that low-income families face every day.

“Quality Insights is committed to improving healthcare outcomes in our communities, and addressing social determinants of health is a crucial part of that mission,” said Natalie Tappe, Program Director at Quality Insights, who coordinated the event. “The CAPS program helps healthcare providers understand the daily reality of poverty in a way that statistics alone cannot convey.”

Quality Insights offers the CAPS program to healthcare organizations, educational institutions, and community groups. The simulator is designed to break down stereotypes about poverty and create a deeper understanding of the barriers many patients face in accessing and following through with healthcare.

Employment table at the Quality Insights Community Action Poverty Simulator
Groups of families at their homes at the Quality Insights Community Action Poverty Simulator

Quality Insights’ Poverty Simulation in Action

During the four-hour session facilitated by Quality Insights’ expert staff, participants were assigned family profiles and identities. Some became single parents with multiple children; others were elderly couples living on fixed incomes, and some represented individuals with disabilities or chronic health conditions.

Quality Insights’ staff meticulously arranged the conference room with tables around the perimeter representing community resources—a bank, a grocery store, social services offices, a school, healthcare facilities, and even a pawn shop—and staffed the stations to create an authentic experience.

One participant was assigned the role of a 38-year-old father with three children and a part-time job. “I think what I learned the most is to be empathetic towards folks’ frustration, and I guess I never understood the underlying frustrations where they come from, and now I’ve seen it and felt it.”

“Just the amount of barriers that folks have to go through, and then the unexpected events,” another attendee said of what they learned from the experience. “You’re always waiting for the unexpected thing that’s going to push you over the edge.”

Public school area at the Quality Insights Community Action Poverty Simulator
The bank table at the Quality Insights Community Action Poverty Simulator

Transforming Healthcare Through Understanding

“Quality Insights’ poverty simulator breaks down barriers between healthcare providers and the communities they serve,” Tappe said. “This experience can help participants reimagine healthcare delivery in ways that acknowledge and address the real barriers many West Virginians face.”

Following the simulation, Quality Insights’ facilitators led a comprehensive debriefing session where participants discussed their insights. The emotional impact of the experience was evident as participants shared their reflections:

“It’s very difficult; it’s very stressful,” noted one participant. Another added, “How many of you read to your kids? How many of you took your kids to the park to play for fun or anything like that? I think for me that was a real eye-opener. You know, you’re so stressed trying to feed them. There’s no capacity left for extras.”

The challenges of childcare and work were frequently mentioned. “I had to leave my one-year-old baby boy home with my boyfriend, who just got out of jail. And he left the baby at home by itself. So, I mean, he had lost his job. I had to go to work. It’s very eye-opening,” shared one attendee.

Several participants noted the systemic barriers they encountered. “I felt like I understood why people give up. I understand why people live under a bridge. Every time I went somewhere to get help, I was directed somewhere else. I mean, I can understand why people do what they do,” reflected one healthcare leader.

Transportation emerged as a critical issue. “There is a very interesting perspective on the reliance of transportation. And being that most of us are living in what we would consider rural areas, especially in West Virginia, and don’t have reliable public transportation. So if you didn’t have a car or you couldn’t ride the bus, how would you ever get any of these things done?” asked one participant.

Quality Insights Community Action Poverty Simulator final debriefing
Quality Insights CEO Sven Berg speaking after the end of the debriefing session

Continuing the Journey

According to the latest data, West Virginia’s poverty rate remains among the highest in the nation, with particularly concerning rates of child poverty. Quality Insights works directly with healthcare providers to address these challenges through education, quality improvement initiatives, and community partnerships.

Quality Insights offers the poverty simulator as part of its broader suite of services focused on healthcare quality improvement, data analytics, and practice transformation. Organizations interested in hosting a poverty simulator can contact Quality Insights for more information about scheduling and implementation.

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About Quality Insights

Quality Insights is a leading healthcare quality improvement organization dedicated to improving healthcare delivery and health outcomes across West Virginia and the surrounding region. Through innovative programs, data analytics, and collaborative partnerships, Quality Insights works with healthcare providers, patients, and communities to address healthcare challenges and implement sustainable solutions. The Community Action Poverty Simulator (CAPS) is one of many programs offered by Quality Insights to address social determinants of health and improve healthcare for vulnerable populations. For more information, visit www.qualityinsights.org.

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