This week, the Health Evolution Forum launched the Health Equity Pledge to meaningfully strengthen data foundations through the collection, stratification, and review of race, ethnicity, language, and sex data, with the ultimate goal to more effectively identify disparities, diagnose root causes, and instill accountability for eliminating them.
The initial pledge was signed by more than 40 leading health care organizations that represent a cross-section of leading health care organizations and individuals committed to driving progress towards greater equity in care delivery, the patient and member experience, and outcomes.
Read more: Staggering rate of health disparities drives need for industry-wide action on REaLS data
What has brought these organizations together? The fact there is substantial variation and gaps in the collection, stratification, and review of race, ethnicity, language, and sex data across the health care industry limit awareness and the ability to strategically address health disparities. From an informal 2021 survey conducted by the Health Evolution Forum, 96 percent of responding Forum organizations collect some form of patient/member data on race and ethnicity, but only 30 percent regularly review disparities based on these data.
Here is an infographic outlining the industry’s challenge with using data to reduce health disparities and how the Health Equity Pledge represents an opportunity to embed equity into quality improvement and interventions across the health care industry.
Health Equity Roadmap for Health Care CEOs: Part I
