Center on Health Equity and Access

Coverage from the 64th Annual American Society of Hematology Meeting and Exposition, December 10-13, 2022, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Terrance Mayes, EdD, and Loretta Erhunmwunsee, MD, FACS, discuss their new roles as chair and vice-chair, respectively, of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network’s (NCCN) new Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Directors Forum.

The United States possesses the highest infant and maternal mortality rates compared with any other high-income country, even though it spends the most on health care.

A recent study has found that the prevalence of vision impairment in US adults 71 years and older was higher in 2021 compared with prior estimates.

First steps include assembling equity data and reaching out to veterans’ advocacy groups.

Large geographical data may offer insight on race and ethnic health inequities across the United States.

The report indicated that the use of a clear definition on health disparities and a framework for analysis are key in the measurement and interpretation of health inequities affecting underserved populations.

Clinical calculators that do not include demographic variables may be biased, and their equity should be understood in the context of clinical guidelines.

Using data from the Southern Community Cohort Study, investigators compared outcomes between Black and White participants for heart failure risk.

The findings suggest that both high-risk patients and high-risk regions should be considered in clinical and policy strategies to facilitate timely breast cancer care.

Following member surveys, expert interviews, and roundtable discussions, the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI) has released new recommendations for overcoming care disparities among those who have atopic dermatitis (AD) and food allergies.

Jodi Fenner, senior director at Elevance Health, speaks on the key themes she presented during her session at the 2023 Health Equity Summit in San Diego, California, titled, "Promoting Health Equity through Primary Care."

N. Benjamin Fredrick, MD, of Penn State Hershey Medical Center and Penn State University College of Medicine, speaks on the key themes he presented during his session at the 2023 Health Equity Summit in San Diego, California, as well as topics related to the measurement, creation, and implementation of health equity initiatives.

Michelle Y. Williams, PhD, RN, of Stanford Health Care, speaks on the key themes she presented during her session at the 2023 Health Equity Summit in San Diego, California, titled, "Launching a Health Equity Strategy."

The new National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) forum on equity aims to improve diversity of clinical staff representation across the nation’s leading academic cancer centers.

Access to electronic health information can be improved through provider assistance for optimal use of a patient portal.

Susan Sabo-Wagner MSN, RN, OCN, executive director of clinical strategy for Oncology Consultants of Houston, Texas, explained how cultural competency allows for better care delivery to patients with cancer.

Initiatives to address social determinants of health are likely to positively change the health care landscape, and better patient education can contribute to more favorable care choices says Ken Cohen, MD, director of translational research for Optum Care.

An interview with Joseph R. Mikhael, MD, MEd, on findings from a Quality Improvement initiative presented during the 64th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition in New Orleans, Louisiana. Mikhael is a professor in the Applied Cancer Research and Drug Discovery Division at the Translational Genomics Research Institute, an affiliate of City of Hope Cancer Center, in Phoenix, Arizona.

To best improve health equity, population-based payment models should both incorporate social goals and increase payment for historically marginalized communities, a recent study has found.

Patients with epilepsy on Medicaid insurance of Black, Latino, and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Island ethnicity were associated with lower odds of being on newer, second- and third-generation, antiseizure medications compared with White individuals.

Black Americans with multiple myeloma face disparities in incidence of disease, survival outcomes, and use of evidence-based treatment, which may be exacerbated by socioeconomic factors.

Despite greater incidence of multiple myeloma (MM) reported among Hispanic Americans, these populations report less MM maintenance therapy, longer time from MM diagnosis to novel therapy initiation, and higher in-hospital mortality rates.

A review explored the connection between 4 domains (structural, sociocultural, health care, and physiological) contributing to the persistence of inequities in epilepsy risk and outcomes in the United States, as well as key areas of intervention to promote health equity.

Michael Thompson, president and CEO of the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions (National Alliance), addressed the current state of health equity strategies in the workplace and how employers can better address inequities in their benefit designs, programs, and policies in the near future.

Bruce Sherman, MD, FCCP, FACOEM, underlines the impact of health inequities for patients diagnosed with psoriasis.

Maria Lopes, MD, MS, provides an overview of the PASI scoring system.

Amy McMichael, MD, discusses the impact of psoriasis on a patient’s quality of life.

Ryan Haumschild, PharmD, MS, MBA, leads a panel discussion highlighting the current prevalence of psoriasis.

The novel coalition was announced at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Forum, which took place December 4-7 in Orlando, Florida.