Published by: Maya Linson on 4/11/2011 9:57:30 AM
As of April 8, there is now officially a national plan to address health disparities across the country. I was able to attend the launch event on Friday and could feel the energy and enthusiasm pulsating through the room. In a packed room, not to mention those in the overflow room and those in locations across the country watching via webcast, I listened to speaker after speaker echo excitement at such an accomplishment. Dr. Garth Graham, deputy assistant secretary for minority health at the Office of Minority Health, said the plan reignites passion and excitement for work that was years in the making.
The two documents released were The National Stakeholder Strategy for Achieving Health Equity, a common set of goals for public and private sector initiatives, and the US Department of Health and Humans Services (HHS) Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Disparities, which outlines goals and actions HHS will take. The plans were created with a “bottom-up” strategy, involving 4,500 individuals from the local to national levels, according to Graham. The community emphasized a need for data collection as a priority, so that is strung throughout both the National Strategy and the HHS Action Plan.
The five overall goals in both documents complement each other:
National Strategy
1. Awareness
2. Leadership
3. Health System and Life Experience (care access and social determinants of health)
4. Cultural and Linguistic Competency
5. Data, Evaluation and Research
HHS Action Plan
1. Transform Health Care (expand coverage, increase access, boost quality)
2. Strengthen Workforce
3. Advance the Health, Safety and Well-Being of Americans
4. Advance Scientific Knowledge and Innovation
5. Increase Efficiency, Transparency and Accountability of HHS programs
According to HHS, “the Affordable Care Act offers the potential to meet these goals and address the needs of racial and ethnic minority populations, by bringing down health care costs, investing in prevention and wellness, supporting improvements in primary care, and creating linkages between the traditional realms of health and social services.” Graham echoed this sentiment in his opening remarks saying, “The Affordable Care Act represents the most significant piece of legislation” for advancing minority health.
HHS leaders said the department will be tracking data to ensure gaps in disparities are in fact closing and will report annually to the public. The Office of Minority Health is also launching a new web portal to host information and tools related to the plans. For now, you can access all of the information here: www.minorityhealth.hhs.gov/npa.