About DHEI (Diversity, Health Equity and Inclusion)
Disparate health outcomes for minorities, individuals experiencing homelessness, and other subsets of California’s population are the result of historic and systemic inequalities that persist today, and it has risen to the level of a public health crisis in California. Unequal access to health care and health resources, as well as unequal and damaging environmental conditions due to race, socioeconomic status, and other factors is untenable in a just and healthy society. Some facts*:
Black Californians have the highest rates of new prostate, colorectal, and lung cancer cases, and the highest death rates for breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer.
About one in five Latinx Californians report not having a usual source of care and difficulty finding a specialist.
Californians who are Native American and Alaska Native, as well as Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, are less likely to report having a checkup within the past year than other racial/ethnic groups.
*Source: California Health Care Foundation
Ensuring every Californian receives equitable, high-quality care requires long-term systemic solutions. California’s hospitals are on the front lines of mitigating health inequities. Within their communities, hospitals examine and address social determinants of health — factors such as housing instability, access to healthy foods, and community violence — that significantly affect health risks and outcomes.
Hospitals also continually work to improve patient experience and outcomes through a variety of initiatives, including a statewide maternal health quality collaborative; data collection and analysis on race, ethnicity, language preference, and other sociodemographic data; cultural competency training; increasing diversity in leadership and governance; and improving and strengthening community partnerships.
But hospitals alone cannot eliminate health disparities. It will take systemic reform, paired with broad partnerships across all segments of California’s communities, to break from the status quo.
The End of California’s PHE
February 28 marked the ending of vital state policy flexibilities under the public health emergency (PHE) that enabled California providers to meet the pandemic’s unprecedented health care challenges. Among other things, PHE includes waivers that have been critical in expanding patient care space to unlicensed settings, enabling hospitals to care for influxes of patients. Across […]
HASC Partners with LA County AJCC to Connect Hospitals with Job Seekers
HASC, in partnership with the LA County Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and its LA County America’s Job Center of California (AJCC), is working to connect hospitals with job seekers who have recently completed, or expect to complete, health profession training programs this year. The partnership’s goal is to raise awareness of this job candidate […]
Communities Lifting Communities Announces Scholarship Fundraising Campaign
Communities Lifting Communities (CLC) is pleased to launch the fundraising campaign for the Diversity in Health Care Scholarship and Stipend Fund. Its goal is to help foster a more diverse hospital workforce by providing financial assistance to students employed in HASC member hospitals, with special consideration for those from communities traditionally underrepresented in the field.
Cherished Futures Marks Third Year of Efforts to Address Birth Inequities Impacting Black Families
Cherished Futures for Black Moms & Babies celebrated its third year of working to improve birth equity for Black families in LA County and released two new reports.
Introduction to the Anchor Mission
Register now for Introduction to the Anchor Mission, a workshop hosted by HASC and the Communities Lifting Communities (CLC) Advancing Health Equity and Economic Opportunity Initiative. The complimentary online workshop is one of four in which participants will collectively address the underlying racial, social, economic, environmental and systemic conditions that fuel health inequities through implementing […]
In the Spotlight: Felita Jones, EdD
The National Health Foundation (NHF) welcomed Felita Jones, EdD, as president and CEO on Aug. 15. A few weeks into her new role, Dr. Jones shared with HASC’s communications team about what has inspired her life’s work, NHF’s current projects and her vision for the organization’s future. This interview is part of In the Spotlight — a […]
Updates: Unequal Pay, NHF Arleta Project, PREP Report
As fall fast approaches, so far this year has again seen new challenges for our member hospitals as they recover from the frenetic and tireless work over the last two-plus years. It’s with pride that I express my empathy and gratitude for this difficult work — and my pleasure in sharing recent accomplishments that wouldn’t […]
Welcome to New NHF CEO; Minimum Wage Initiative Update
HASC Welcomes Dr. Felita Jones After an extensive executive search, I’m delighted to announce that Dr. Felita Jones started this week as President/CEO of National Health Foundation (NHF). Dr. Jones brings many years of leadership experience in nonprofit management, community outreach, fund development, health, behavioral health and social services. She is well positioned to lead […]
L.A. City Moves to Adopt Unequal Pay Ordinance
You’re likely aware that the SEIU-UHW union has filed nine risky and inequitable ballot initiatives in nine Southern California cities, aimed for the November 2022 ballot. The cities are Los Angeles, Downey, Inglewood, Long Beach, Monterey Park, Culver City, Baldwin Park, Duarte and Lynwood. The measures would set new, arbitrary pay requirements for some health […]
CALL TO ACTION: All Hospitals on Deck to Defeat Deeply Flawed, Inequitable Health Care Minimum Pay Measures
As hospitals look to emerge from a tumultuous two-plus years, they continue to encounter new and different challenges. One challenge relates to 10 ballot initiatives that would deepen inequities in our health care system and jeopardize access to care. Driven by the SEIU-UHW, these 10 ballot measures in 10 different Southern California cities would set […]