In a recent CMS Office of Minority Health blog post: Minority Health Month (April), CMS Office of Minority Health Director Cara James outlined an action framework for reducing disparities and improving care and health for all.
The framework emphasizes the importance of collecting and analyzing standardized data across various demographic categories, including race, ethnicity, disability, and geography. In addition, Dr. James outlined the “seven A’s” for addressing health equity:
- Acknowledge there is a problem to be addressed.
- Agree on the goal and identify what resources are necessary to meet it.
- Align the goal with existing priorities.
- Determine what actions are needed to achieve the goal.
- Create alliances to implement the actions.
- Analyze progress and adjust the plan as necessary.
- Have shared accountability for reaching the goal.
In addition, there are multiple social influencers that impact a person’s health, which are also outlined within the framework. As a healthcare community, we work hard to achieve health equity; in doing so, we encourage you to consider the seven A’s, the role of social risk factors and the importance of data in your day-to-day activities.
Read the CMS blog post to learn more.
Have questions about using data to determine health disparities? Great Plains QIN staff have the expertise to identify high-impact quality improvement efforts that contribute to patient-centered, value-based care. Get answers using the Great Plains QIN Quality Payment Program Service Center’s telephone, email, online and chat options.