The Health Disparities Podcast

It takes time, energy and financial resources to bring about change within an organization. Healthcare organizations are no exception. Health systems that are serious about centering health equity need to put their money where their mouth is, says compliance and DEI consultant Linda Howard. In practice, this means centering equity in both their mission statements and their budgets.

Hospitals and health systems can play a big role in addressing healthcare disparities in our nation. It's the focus of our latest podcast series. Today, we zero in on a statewide health equity initiative that is first of its kind in the nation. Through a historic 1115 Medicaid waiver, Massachusetts hospitals have made a commitment to come together with the state to embed equity int

Racial and ethnic minorities and other underserved groups receive unequal medical treatment, contributing to the myriad disparities in health outcomes that we see today. This notion is supported by a growing body of research stemming back decades. The Joint Commission has recognized the horrible impact of health disparities in America, and the group is taking action, says Kathryn P

Hospitals and health systems can play a major role in addressing healthcare disparities in our nation. In our latest episode – part of our hospitals and health equity series – we zero in on hospital rankings and how the metrics that are used can compel health systems to take much-needed action on health equity. “If hospitals were to focus more on health equity, they would be

Every person brings their own cultural background into their encounters with the healthcare system. But this doesn’t mean that every healthcare provider needs to develop an encyclopedic knowledge of every culture in order to provide equitable, high-quality care to every patient. “The truth of the matter is: that could never be done. I'm Puerto Rican, Latino, and even among Puer

Artificial Intelligence is transforming health care. The promise of this technology is enormous and is already being realized to increase the accuracy of diagnoses, promote patient engagement, increase efficiency in health care and lower costs. It’s even being used to identify patients at risk of disease and predict patients who might be good candidates for medical procedures. Do

For too many people in the U.S., health care is unaffordable and not accessible. Even patients who have health insurance coverage can be confronted with barriers that keep them from accessing the health care that they need. And research shows health disparities are rampant, with health care access — and outcomes — worse for people of color and other marginalized groups. The new

Mental health is an important part of our overall health, but many people confront barriers that keep them from accessing the mental health care they need. A program in Boston aims to address mental health disparities by disrupting traditional health care models. The Boston Emergency Services Team, or BEST, is led by Dr. David Henderson, chief of psychiatry at Boston Medical Center

Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams has the following message for health equity advocates: forge respectful relationships with people with different viewpoints — and pay close attention to the words you use. “We need to learn to speak in a language that resonates with folks,” Adams says. “When that happens, you will get better policy making.” Adams recounts his e

There’s a long history of racism in both education and health care. But some health equity advocates — including Michellene Davis, President and CEO at National Medical Fellowships — are holding onto hope that real change is possible. “The only reason why I like the name, the title ‘social determinants of health,’ is because anything that has been socially constructed c