Introduction to Health Care Disparities

Health Care Disparities: A Continuing National Challenge

There is now overwhelming, irrefutable evidence of health care disparities in the U.S.:

Institute of Medicine Report: Unequal Treatment – Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care

National Healthcare Disparities Report 2009

Fortunately, many health care organizations have recognized the persistence of health care disparities and have begun to develop and implement interventions to reduce those disparities:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health Draft National Plan of Action

National Quality Forum Disparities-Sensitive Ambulatory Health Care Quality Measures

National Health Plan Collaborative: Toolkit on Reducing Disparities

Center for Healthcare Strategies: Toolkit for Reducing Racial and Ethnic Health Care Disparities for Medicaid Managed Care Plans

National Committee for Quality Assurance Innovative Practices in Multicultural Health Care 2009

National Committee for Quality Assurance Innovative Practices in Multicultural Health Care 2008

National Committee for Quality Assurance Innovative Practices in Multicultural Health Care 2007

National Committee for Quality Assurance Innovative Practices in Multicultural Health Care 2006

National Public Health and Hospital Institute: Assuring Healthcare Equity

American Medical Association Activities on Health Disparities

Center for Studying Health System Change: Physician Efforts to Reduce Disparities

Mathematica Policy Brief: Partnerships between Employers and Health Plans to Reduce Health Care Disparities

National Business Group on Health: Why Companies are Making Health Disparities Their Business