The 8 Rights of Organizational Health Equity Work

Abstract

Health inequities are costing the US health care system an estimated $320 billion annually. Those costs are predicted to increase if inequitable care is not addressed. As a Health Equity Consultant for small community-based organizations and a large healthcare system I observe and advise on a variety of organizational attempts at advancing health equity. Over many years of doing this work I have developed what I call The 8 Rights of Organizational Health Equity Work. This well-organized approach outlines the most important things an organization must get right if they want to create meaningful and sustainable movement towards heath equity. Unless healthcare organizations are intentional and strategic about reducing health disparities, any progress we have made in recent years will lag and given the costs of disparities, the industry may find itself in a financial crisis that it may not recover from. The 8 Rights of Organizational Health Equity Work provides the structure that is needed to reduce health inequities in a concerted way.