July 29, 2005

Slavin, left, welcomes
Mayor Menino.

State Senator Wilkerson

Disparities Solutions Center launched at the MGH

In a well-attended ceremony July 26, the MGH launched a first-of-its-kind national center dedicated to developing policies and changing the delivery of care to help eliminate racial and ethnic differences — or disparities — in health care. Peter L. Slavin, MD, president of the MGH, announced the creation of the Disparities Solutions Center and was joined by Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino, state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson and state Rep. Peter Koutoujian during the ceremony.

The center has the potential to change the way minorities receive medical care locally, regionally and nationally and will serve as a resource for hospitals, health insurers, physicians and other caregivers, community health centers, health professions schools, consumer organizations and state and local governments. The MGH and Partners HealthCare have committed $3 million in initial funding for the center, which has already begun working with the Boston Public Health Commission, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation of Massachusetts and the State of Delaware.

"Racial and ethnic disparities in health care have been well documented by both national and local research," said Slavin. "It is time to move from diagnosing the problem to treating it. It's time to change the way we deliver care and take action against these disparities in care."

Mayor Menino applauded the creation of the center: "This is a special day," he said. "It is unacceptable in our society to not have the same quality of care for everyone. Boston is fortunate that we have the commitment of the MGH and Partners to lead this effort and work together with the city and state to support the health care community of Boston and beyond."

The MGH has taken a leadership role to address health care disparities and educate the hospital community about its detrimental effect on some patients. The MGH Committee on Racial and Ethnic Disparities was formed in 2003 and is co-chaired by Joseph Betancourt, MD, MPH, senior scientist at the MGH Institute of Health Policy, and Joan Quinlan, director of the MGH Community Benefit Program.

Betancourt, who was a member of an Institute of Medicine committee that produced the landmark report "Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care," was named director of the Disparities Solutions Center. He explained that the center will serve as a change agent by translating research into policy and practice; will develop and evaluate customized policy and practice solutions for health care providers, insurers, educators, community organizations and stakeholders; and will provide education and leadership training to expand the community of skilled individuals dedicated to eliminating health care disparities.

"We are proud to have the visionary leadership on this issue at both the city and state level," said Slavin. "Mayor Menino's creative, courageous and highly effective efforts to make Boston a healthy city for all its residents — especially those who are most vulnerable — are a national model and a true gift to those of us who live and work here."