June 29, 2007

Sharing disparities solutions and tools for change

National studies reveal that minority individuals across the country receive lower quality health care, regardless of insurance status, income, age and severity of illness. To address these health care disparities, the MGH established the MGH Disparities Solutions Center in 2005 under the leadership of Joseph Betancourt, MD, MPH.

The MGH Disparities Solutions Center recently hosted a kick-off for its one-year Disparities Leadership Program May 30 and 31. The program is targeted to leaders from hospitals, health plans and community health centers across the country. Participants committed to engaging in a disparities-reduction project and attended the opening session at the Hotel@MIT. Approximately 25 health care leaders convened in Cambridge to learn the latest strategies to address racial and ethnic disparities in health care and how to implement these tools in their organizations. Over the course of the opening program, panel sessions with leaders from the MGH and several health plans across the country, as well as break-out discussion sessions, were conducted.

"This was the kick-off to an exciting, one-of-a-kind national disparities leadership program," says Betancourt. "We are pleased that this group of leaders from around the country — representing hospitals, health plans and community health centers — could learn about what we are doing at the MGH and what is going on in other areas of health care delivery."

For more information about the MGH Disparities Solutions Center, visit www.mghdisparitiessolutions.org.