Overcoming Challenges in Healthcare
In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, achieving health equity remains a critical goal for providers, patients, and communities alike. According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP), health equity is defined as achieving the highest level of health for all individuals and addressing disparities in healthcare access, quality, and outcomes. Rising cases of chronic diseases, an increase in preventable deaths, and the burden of mental illnesses continuing to impact the U.S. healthcare system. There is an emphasized need for health equity initiatives. Addressing inequality in healthcare has become a priority. Recognizing barriers in care and eliminating them can significantly improve health outcomes for many communities.
Health Disparities, SDOH, & its Consequences on Healthcare
Many studies have highlighted that social determinants of health (SDOH) play a crucial role in shaping health outcomes. According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP), SDOH are factors in a person’s environment that can significantly influence their health risks and quality of life. These factors involve social and economic conditions that impact their health status. They can cause someone to be disadvantaged in accessing resources and opportunities in healthcare. Health disparities account for avoidable differences and the ability to achieve better health outcomes experienced by vulnerable communities. Allowing health inequities to persist can have serious consequences. It exacerbates the impacts it has on individuals, elevates their risks for diseases/disabilities, and reduces life expectancies compared to those who have access to resources.
For example, according to a report by the World Bank and World Health Organization (WHO), almost half of the world’s population is struggling to gain access to essential healthcare services. Furthermore, factors such as high costs for healthcare or the ability to attend appointments can restrict a person’s access to quality care. It can also worsen existing inequities in healthcare delivery. According to the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), it was reported that children with special care needs were unable to access their required care due to costs and availability of appointments. Therefore, these barriers to healthcare can impact and delay progress toward health equity.
A Shift Towards Healthy Equity
Communities, providers, and organizations acknowledge the impacts health disparities have. Recognizing that providing equitable access to underserved communities can address the patient’s mental, physical, and social needs. In addition, by focusing on health equity, health professionals can be proactive in their care delivery and alleviate the burden of diseases on vulnerable populations. Creating partnerships and coordinating care can help address the diverse needs of patients. Another important aspect of health equity is assessing and addressing community health needs. Incorporating community health into initiatives that strive to remove obstacles in healthcare can strengthen community engagement and achieve better results.
For example, a community health assessment (CHA) can provide valuable insights on the needs and issues specific communities are experiencing. This information can inform health systems on what resources they require to assist these communities and identify areas of improvement for more effective care delivery. Promoting community-based interventions would drive positive change and eliminate health disparities by identifying high-risk populations that require additional care. This can empower physicians to deliver preventive care to these communities and improve their health outcomes, reducing emergency events from occurring. Achieving health equity requires a comprehensive approach that encompasses not only healthcare but also broader social and economic factors. Providing equitable access to digital health technologies would help to empower patients from underserved communities to take control of their health and well-being.
Why Does Health Equity Matter?
Overcoming social and economic barriers is essential for achieving health equity. Individuals living in poverty have been shown to have worse health outcomes and a greater risk for chronic diseases and disabilities. In addition, they are unable to gain access to support, treatments, and services that would reduce their risk and help them adopt healthy lifestyle changes. When striving toward health equity, it requires a multifaceted approach that addresses both systemic barriers and SDOH. Through SDOH initiatives, healthcare professionals can work with their care teams to identify and mitigate disparities related to race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geography.
For example, the recent approval of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for an amendment to New York’s Medicaid section 1115 demonstration was a critical moment in progressing toward health equity. This has allowed the CMS to endorse projects that incorporate behavioral health into primary care, support the healthcare workforce, expand health insurance coverages to provide access to care, and connect disadvantaged communities to housing and nutritional support services. Assisting hospitals that serve vulnerable populations that are disproportionately burdened by diseases can help to decrease the prevalence of chronic conditions and deliver adequate care to them in the long-term. Empowering providers, engaging patients, and promoting health equity in the healthcare field can help bridge the gap and ensure that every individual has the opportunity to thrive and achieve optimal health outcomes.
Strategies to Promote Health Equity
One of the key pillars in health equity is leveraging resources to address systemic barriers and empower vulnerable populations. Utilizing tools to help make healthcare accessible to all would break down barriers for underserved communities. In order to create a more inclusive healthcare system, it is important to implement initiatives that spread awareness of disparities in care and leverage cost-effective approaches to foster health equity. Here are some strategies to help you take on a health equity approach to care:
- Using Technology to Help Close Care Gaps: With the increasing adoption of many digital health solutions, such as telehealth and remote patient monitoring (RPM), many physicians can deliver outside of their practice. According to the American Medical Association (AMA), approximately 9 in 10 physicians believe digital health tools are beneficial for patient care. Physicians can take proactive approaches to their care to reduce the risk of patients who have chronic conditions and provide the necessary treatments they need.
- Addressing SDOH in Care: The current obstacle many individuals face in healthcare is having access to quality care. Due to factors such as high care costs and limited transportation opportunities, patients are unable to seek out care which allows their health to continue to decline. Expanding access to care can allow patients to attend their appointments, receive the appropriate care they need, and prevent them from experiencing adverse outcomes.
- Enhance and Monitor Patient Engagement: Increasing your patients’ engagement would help to assist their medication adherence and empower them to be active throughout their healthcare journeys. Encouraging physicians to connect with patients through frequent communication can foster optimal health outcomes for all individuals. Observing the effectiveness of patient engagement tools can help you identify which areas you need to improve on and what strategies are useful in improving health conditions.
- Personalize Care to Meet Patients’ Diverse Needs: Providers can tailor treatments based on the patient’s needs and preferences to deliver more individualized care plans. Identifying which care plan is compatible and easily implemented into the patient’s lifestyle would help to achieve better health outcomes for patients. Coordinating patients’ treatment plans and enhancing care management strategies enables providers to deliver more holistic and comprehensive care to diverse populations.
- Empowering Patients with Knowledge: Physicians can ensure equitable access to care for patients and reduce the impact their health conditions have on their daily lives. Providing patients with the knowledge of treatments/digital tools and ensuring they understand what they are would help to increase their health literacy. This helps providers establish trust with patients and assist them with following the instructions on their care plans since they are aware of how they can protect their health. As a result, this translates to better health outcomes as they can manage their health conditions effectively, reducing hospitalizations, while saving your clinic’s resources.
How MDLand Can Help
As leaders in the digital health technology field, MDLand is deeply committed to advancing health equity through our innovative solutions. Our comprehensive EHR platform, iClinic®, can enhance accessibility by ensuring that physicians overcome geographic barriers. Discover how you can leverage our digital health solutions to advance health equity here or schedule a demo.
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