The COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S. has shown the country what all hospital and health systems leaders have known for years: Serious gaps exist in access, cost and quality for patients based on their race, ethnicity, gender and gender identity, age, sexual orientation or other demographic and socio-economic factors. Hospitals and health systems have the opportunity to use data to identify disparities in outcomes which are the result of inequities and societal factors that influence health.
Hospitals and health systems can apply the data they have to drive their strategy to advance health equity. They can also use insights culled from data to identify health care disparities, find the root causes and craft targeted interventions to reduce them, and improve health.
This Market Insights report from the American Hospital Association’s Center for Health Innovation offers hospital and health system leaders practical guidance and examples on how to use data to take three steps: identify, investigate and intervene. This report is a companion piece to a more in-depth Market Insights report from the Center on how hospitals and health systems can leverage data for health innovation.
This report is based on information and insights from interviews with board members of the AHA Institute for Diversity and Health Equity (IFDHE) and other hospital and health system leaders who are identified on Page 7. The report also reflects reviews of published health care reports, surveys, articles and research on health care disparities, data and innovation. A complete list of these source materials appears on Page 8. (author description) #P4HEwebinarDecember2023