In Pursuit of Health Equity

In 1860, the American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, "the first wealth is health".?Over 160 years later, the Covid pandemic exposed significant inequities in access to healthcare while many also experienced setbacks in poverty alleviation and income equality.?Emerson's observation was an early recognition that removing social, economic, contextual, and systemic barriers to health – including addressing poverty and discrimination – is needed to achieve health equity.???

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Improving health equity is a business imperative. Although there may not be consensus on the relevance or importance of this topic, I think it is good business. Productivity is necessary for a strong economy. Workers need to be healthy to operate with the greatest efficiency and to produce their best work. Economists have noted that the pool of available workers is shrinking which increases the importance of keeping those who are able to work healthy. Further, improved population health coupled with better care experiences can lower healthcare costs for both employers and their employees, which I believe will open-up resources for use in more productive endeavors.

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I’m #KPMGProud of the 220 KPMG employees who registered for our recent hackathon, In Pursuit of Health Equity. Over a 12-day period, participants increased their understanding of the social determinants of health, analyzed multiple data sets, and in doing so recognized issues that are relevant to our communities. As a result of their efforts, we identified innovative projects that may help improve health and access to health care resources. This experience highlights how data can be used to create a healthy future for all.

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The views expressed are my own.