The confluence of social justice events and the Covid-19 pandemic has exposed rifts in our health system and brought attention to health inequalities affecting our communities of color. This is no longer an issue that our fragile health system can put on hold as a “to-do” in the future. Addressing the health equity issues of Covid-19 testing, hospital care, vaccination and delayed treatment of common chronic diseases must become a national priority, which can be handled through private and public partnerships.
In order to fully understand the impact of Covid-19 on our communities of color, we must acknowledge the continuing historical, structural, social and economic challenges that inhibit the ability of communities of color to achieve prosperous and healthy lives.
Recognizing that the social determinants of health include social factors outside the health system, we should strive to eliminate postal codes and poverty as key indicators of life expectancy. In order to achieve health equity, we must strive to achieve inclusive and fair distribution of resources and opportunities. This will translate into a better patient experience and improved health outcomes. In order to provide this, as an industry, we need to design culturally competitive, digitally fair health solutions to meet people’s needs, and their core is compassion for personal needs.
This means that we must treat health equity as a long-term investment, actively move upstream, go beyond personal and occasional care, and enter the community. Redefining the return on investment will be the key to attracting the right ecosystem partners with 6 to 10 years of ROI thinking.A long-term investment that has proven successful is Elevator Orlando They strengthen communities through transformative partnerships and investments.
There is no doubt that we have more work to do.For example, both National Center for Biotechnology Information with American Association of Retired Persons Reports on prescription labels translated from English to Spanish are often incorrect or incomplete.some Learn It has been proven that black patients see Black doctors get more preventive services. And AAMC report22% of black patients are less likely to receive painkillers than others.
Such data emphasizes that we need to refocus our health care services in order to look at the true needs of patients with compassion. Research continues to show that preventive care can help avoid chronic diseases, which are a heavy health cost. As an industry, we know that we need to shift our attention from incidental health treatment to health plus health care.
These are such ambitious goals. It can be said that many people in the industry think these goals are too big to be solved, or “not my responsibility.” But the pandemic forces us to consider ways to solve this problem-we should not limit our thinking to solving current emergencies.
When we launched the vaccination service, it turned out that it was vital to utilize national, regional, or state-wide healthcare providers. We have also seen that the role of large retail pharmacy chains that already have primary health care capabilities is shifting to vaccinate more people; for many people, this may be the starting point for providing people with more continuous medical services and an improved experience. Patients who may never have thought about seeking treatment in a retail pharmacy may reconsider. Pop-up tents used as vaccination centers can also become a model for future care, from the operation of factory flu vaccines to customized services such as cancer screening, so these can introduce new entrants into the highly competitive healthcare sector.
Given that we know that medical services will increasingly include digital services, and we know that many communities still lack reliable and consistent Internet access and smart phone services, digital access can enhance rather than replace physical access to improve fairness. But even so, you need to work with local community leaders who can provide a bridge for a positive experience. For example, working with libraries or civic centers to provide Internet services and training local leaders to serve as liaisons is a starting point.
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Leaders will be those who take bold steps to build the right network, surpass safety pilots, and use a “hands-on” mentality to meet people and provide the more access, experience, and health outcomes they want. We must organize with our community Build long-term relationships with ecosystem partners and make serious investments. Innovative thinking and the digital divide as a guiding principle will be the key to improving credible and accurate communication and participation, thereby providing fair care and health literacy.
Achieving health equity is the right approach. Making health care more accessible and fair is the ethical obligation that we as an industry should ensure that still exist.
Photo: Peter Pencil, Getty Images
