Center on Health Equity & Access

Authors offered specific recommendations for improving publishing and adoption of algorithmic processes focused on type 2 diabetes (T2D) going forward.

Black populations suffered 1.6 million excess deaths in the past 20 years, new studies find; the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sues to block Amgen from acquiring Horizon Therapeutics, citing 2 drugs that have no competition; cancer drug shortages are approaching an all-time high.

Researchers suggest socioeconomic status (SES) be considered in prognostic algorithms going forward.

Causes of heart failure (HF), medication usage, and HF-related hospitalization and death were investigated among patients from 40 countries and 4 economic levels.

Health systems participating in the drug discount program did not have fewer disparities than hospitals not participating.

There is a concerted effort to identify biomarkers to understand the risk of progression of diabetic eye disease, but many studies have not been performed in diverse populations, explained Jennifer K. Sun, MD, MPH, associate professor of ophthalmology and chief of the Center for Clinical Eye Research and Trials, Harvard Medical School; and chair, DRCR Retina Network.

At the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) 2023 Annual Meeting, a patient joined a panel to give insight into the challenges of living with a chronic illness and what he sees as the pros and cons of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Elizabeth Johnson, LPN, PACS, BPCA, CEO of MedicoCX, co-CEO of Healthcare Advocate Summit, and an Asembia 2023 presenter, discusses why more empathetic approaches that take into account the full range of the patient experience are needed to improve patient-focused health care.

Despite similar health care utilization, White patients were much more likely to receive and fill prescriptions for medications to treat opioid use disorder (OUD) compared with Black or Hispanic patients in the months following a high-risk OUD event such as an overdose, a new study has found.

Mailing at-home human papillomavirus (HPV) self-collection tests and providing booking assistance for in-clinic screening visits nearly doubled the rate of cervical cancer screenings among underscreened women from low-income backgrounds vs offering scheduling assistance alone.

The behavioral economic biases of 43 African American young adults aged 18 to 24 were evaluated on 4 fronts: present bias, information salience, overoptimism, and loss aversion.

The task force was motivated by a gap between in breast cancer deaths between Black and White women.

A panel on women’s health disparities at the 2023 Asembia Specialty Pharmacy Summit addressed the current challenges women face regarding health care as well as how digital tools, collaboration between clinics and governments, and more detailed and inclusive research can help improve health equity for all women.

The relationship between myopia and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) was stronger in Asian, Black, and Hispanic individuals compared with White individuals.

After winning our Seema S. Sonnad Emerging Leader in Managed Care Research Award, these researchers have gone on to make substantial impacts in the field of managed care and mentor the next generation of investigators.

Stephen M. Schleicher, MD, MBA, Tennessee Oncology, co-authored a recent paper on the complexities of the rural cancer experience; the principal conclusion was potential for a streamlined care process to optimize care efficiencies and access, thereby improving patient outcomes.

A panel at Asembia 2023 discussed what their organizations are doing to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at their organizations, and what others can learn from these efforts.

Study investigators stress the importance of health care professionals familiarizing themselves with risk factors among a more diverse patient population.

Investigators said data show social factors are intertwined with health outcomes.

This subanalysis of data from the VIRGO study encompassed 2979 patients who had an acute myocardial infarction (AMI), or heart attack, between ages 18 and 55 years; outcomes evaluated included all-cause and cause-specific acute events requiring hospitalization in the year after discharge for a heart attack.

Optimal care that should be offered to all patients includes not only pain relief but also a complete pelvic exam and a discussion about the many options that are available for fibroids and endometriosis, including minimally invasive, organ-conserving surgery, said Linda D. Bradley, MD, professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Cleveland Clinic.

It is likely that social determinants of health (SDOH) may affect the differences in outcomes from multiple sclerosis (MS) that we see among Black/African American and Hispanic/Latinx populations, absent more data on their genetics and ancestry, noted Mitzi Joi Williams, MD, FAAN.

Several presentations at the 2023 Asembia Specialty Pharmacy Summit, held in Las Vegas, Nevada, from April 30 through May 4, will cover how to address health equity concerns in specialty pharmacy care, the expansion of the biosimilars market, and the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) on the US health care system.

Much more work needs to be done surrounding multiple sclerosis (MS) and treating pregnant patients safely, noted Mitzi Joi Williams, MD, FAAN, medical director and CEO, Joi Life Wellness Neurology Clinic.

On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we feature several leaders in diversity, equity, and inclusion advancing health equity in their respective organization’s policy and practice initiatives.