Health Disparities

Health disparities have the largest impact on the access, quality of care and outcomes overall in many patient populations defined by factors such as race, ethnicity, gender, education level, income, disability, geographic location. Many other factors also play a role, including if a patient is in a rural of urban location, distances to hospitals, pharmacies and clinics. These factors of inequitable access or healthcare are often directly related to the historical and ongoing unequal distribution of social, political, economic, and environmental resources. This page includes content defining health disparities and efforts to address them.
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AMA: Industry must level the playing field to unlock potential of AI

Before the true potential of new technologies like AI can be realized, the healthcare industry must first address health disparities and implicit bias many patients face, American Medical Association (AMA) President-Elect Patrice A. Harris, MD, said in a recent viewpoint article.

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EMS response slower for cardiac arrest in low-income areas

It takes emergency medical services (EMS) almost four minutes longer to transport cardiac arrest patients from poor neighborhoods to the hospital versus those from high-income neighborhoods, according to a study of 2014 United States EMS data published in JAMA Network Open.

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NIH partners on $26.5M study analyzing prostate cancer disparities in black men

Major healthcare organizations, including branches of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), have launched a $26.5 million study to investigate the genetic and socioeconomic factors surrounding black men’s increased susceptibility to more aggressive forms of prostate cancer, according to an NIH release.

AMA Outlines Ambitious Approach Toward Health Equity

CHICAGO – With well-documented gaps in health and health care across segments of the United States, the American Medical Association (AMA) today adopted policy during its Annual Meeting to define health equity and outline a strategic framework toward realizing the goal of achieving optimal health for all, referring to all aspects of health, including mental and behavioral health. To begin down that path, the AMA will establish a structural or organizational home for the effort, complete with dedicated resources, staff and budget, and a multi-year programmatic roadmap.

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AMA outlines strategy for health equity

The American Medical Association (AMA) has adopted a policy to define health equity while outlining a strategy for achieving optimized care in all aspects of health.

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How a Chicago health system is tackling racial disparities

To tackle health disparities between Chicago’s West Side and wealthier, predominantly white neighborhoods elsewhere in the city, Rush University Medical Center is leading a group of nine hospitals and health systems to make investments and hire people from disadvantaged communities.

Prison populations more vulnerable to heart conditions

A new study by researchers at Yale and Drexel Universities explores the heart health problems associated with incarceration, in populations including those currently in prison and the released.

AHIMA releases guidelines for inclusion of LGBT patients

The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) has released a brief of guidelines for health information management professionals and clinicians on improving inclusion for patients in the LGBTQ community, covering multiple sexual orientations and gender identities.

Around the web

Compensation for heart specialists continues to climb. What does this say about cardiology as a whole? Could private equity's rising influence bring about change? We spoke to MedAxiom CEO Jerry Blackwell, MD, MBA, a veteran cardiologist himself, to learn more.

The American College of Cardiology has shared its perspective on new CMS payment policies, highlighting revenue concerns while providing key details for cardiologists and other cardiology professionals. 

As debate simmers over how best to regulate AI, experts continue to offer guidance on where to start, how to proceed and what to emphasize. A new resource models its recommendations on what its authors call the “SETO Loop.”