Challenges to Advancing Health Equity
Dr. Deann Butler MHA, MBA
EQUITY WITH EASE?? Helping ??healthcare organizations advance equity initiatives by integrating internal ? external strategies into the core of the business.
We can’t ignore the cost ?? and impact of health inequities.??
Did you know?
??According to Deloitte, health inequities cost us an estimated? $320B a year.
??Currently, less than 6% of medical professionals identify as Black
??Less than 10% of CSuite professionals in healthcare identify as Black
??Clinical trials are over 85% white
??The decline in life expectancy was also more significant for Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black groups than for non-Hispanic White groups.
This is especially true for #healthcarestartups because they are flying the plane while still building it.? However, they are uniquely positioned to integrate health equity and DEI initiative into the company's core.? To do so, awareness of the barriers to addressing health equity is necessary.??
A recent resource from 美国普林斯顿大学 and Manatt Health provides information on five challenges organizations face in addressing #healthequity.? These categories include structural, financial, institutional, analytical, and political.??
Structural
The systemic obstacles organizations will face in addressing health equity.? These can include any internal processes, policies, procedures, and norms.? An example is the need for more diversity in senior leadership levels within the organization.?
Financial
The underinvestment in health equity initiatives that can have a genuine impact over performative strategies. The underinvestment could include time, money, staffing, etc.?
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Institutional
The external processes, policies, and laws that intentionally or unintentionally create obstacles to achieving health equity.? A current example within the SUD field is the difference in MAT protocols for methadone and buprenorphine.?
Analytical
The challenges faced to collect and analyze demographic data such as REaL and SOGI. This data can include race, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
Political
Government actions or inactions that exacerbate health inequities. A recent example is, of course, the ban on affirmative action.?
Organizations with a shared understanding of the challenges they will face to initiate health equity strategies can more efficiently design and implement for impact over intent.?
Over the next few weeks, I will dive into each category, discuss the unique challenges for healthcare startups, and offer tactical strategies to address the barriers.??
I invite you along on this journey because the time to act is now.? If we are to push health equity forward and genuinely have an impact, it requires us to collaborate and share knowledge.??
Our next Linkedin Audio event dives into the structural challenges and strategies healthcare organizations can use to advance health equity initiatives. Join the session by clicking here.
Welcome to Equity in Action.?