Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan, MD, MBA, Senior Advisor at the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, explores the evolving landscape of health equity, emphasizing innovation, data-driven approaches, and the imperative for intentional leadership across healthcare sectors.
Q
Where does health equity fit into your vision and strategy?
Health equity is central to our mission and impact. Our goal is to ensure marginalized and underserved populations have access to equitable, accessible, and integrated health care. We're focused on what equity looks like at all levels within an organization and building a culture of equity. This involves examining our philanthropic and for-profit activities to ensure diversity and community representation. We evaluate the composition of funded organizations and our own team to reflect the communities being served, using data to inform decisions and improve hiring and retention practices.
Q
What are the leadership traits that are most critical for success on this particular topic?
The most critical leadership traits for success in this area are cultural curiosity, openness to innovation, and a data-driven mindset. Instead of just aiming for cultural competency, leaders should cultivate cultural curiosity, recognizing the strength in diversity and constantly questioning if they reflect the communities they serve. This includes fostering a psychologically safe space for team members to ask questions and challenge norms. Additionally, leaders should push for innovative approaches to health equity and be diligent in using and comparing data to understand both internal and external contexts. Being deliberate and intentional in these efforts is key. Leaders should ask themselves, ‘When I look at my own organization, how do I compare to others? Where do I want to position myself on the journey around health equity?’ and be very deliberate and intentional around those.
Instead of just aiming for cultural competency, leaders should cultivate cultural curiosity, recognizing the strength in diversity and constantly questioning if they reflect the communities they serve.
Q
Do you have any examples of leaders who really embody those traits?
There are some leaders infusing health equity at a systems level within their organizations, ensuring it's integrated into everything they do, from staffing decisions to data analysis and patient outreach. This holistic approach prevents health equity from becoming a siloed effort and highlights its fundamental impact on the entire healthcare system.
A few examples include:
Our philanthropic function: Initially, we thought we were practicing health equity but lacked supporting data. We revamped our data collection process, partnering with organizations to gather and utilize this data, helping them model similar practices.
Cain A. Hayes, president and CEO of Point32Health: He led the organization to pursue health equity accreditation in Massachusetts, integrating health equity into their culture and service delivery systems, similar to how the quality movement was integrated into healthcare metrics.
Paul Markovich, president and CEO of Blue Shield of California: As a dedicated executive, Paul implemented systems to track health equity efforts, making it a key metric in all organizational activities.
All of these exemplify leaders who really get and understand that health equity has to be part of the organization’s fabric.
Q
Have you seen examples of how health equity is directly tied to high-level metrics such as bottom-line outcomes and quality of care?
Health equity directly ties into high-level metrics such as bottom-line outcomes and quality of care. For instance, in our performance metrics, we not only track overall improvements in quality of care, like reducing maternal morbidity and mortality, but also focus on specific subpopulations, such as women of color who face higher risks. This accountability extends beyond aggregate numbers to ensure we address deep inequities. By integrating health equity into performance metrics, it becomes a driving force that aligns leaders and colleagues with its importance in healthcare delivery. This approach also allocates resources strategically to advance efforts in reducing disparities, making it integral to organizational success and sending a strong message about its priority within the organization.
Q
Have you encountered challenges where integrating health equity into performance metrics is hindered by insufficient funding to address specific subpopulations?
A frequent struggle we encounter from organizations is the lack of data. And it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, but if we don’t have data, we can’t foster change or accountability. Successful organizations, like mine and others, such as Point 32 Health and Blue Shield of California, overcome this by prioritizing data collection. They incentivize insurance providers and others to provide comprehensive data, knowing it impacts costs and outcomes downstream. When faced with organizations lacking necessary data, we incentivize them to collect it or tie funding to data provision. This approach ensures we understand disparities deeply, allocate resources efficiently, and ultimately improve healthcare outcomes while reducing costs.
A frequent struggle we encounter from organizations is the lack of data. And it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, but if we don’t have data, we can’t foster change or accountability.
Q
How does the topic of health equity and holding the organization accountable look and feel in the boardroom?
In the boardroom, the topic of health equity and organizational accountability has evolved significantly over the past decade. Initially raised primarily by individuals of color, there's been a welcome shift where leaders now understand both the business and moral imperatives of addressing it. This broader discussion reflects a deep commitment from all board members, not just those representing marginalized communities. But I think when you are a person of color and it is your lived reality, either for yourself or for your community, there's a different sense of accountability to represent those communities in the boardroom. What I've seen now is there's been much more of a holistic, engaged discussion around it. In advanced organizations, health equity is embraced as integral to the company's mission, fostering a united approach among board members to tackle this important issue together.
Q
And what drove that change?
The shift was driven by a combination of societal events like the murder of George Floyd and heightened awareness during the pandemic. These moments underscored our interconnectedness and the impact of leaving populations behind. There's now a broader recognition, catalyzed by these events, of the business imperative behind addressing health equity. This awareness has spurred innovative approaches and significant changes, reinforcing the understanding that improving health outcomes and reducing costs requires a proactive stance on health equity.
Q
What are you most excited about in health equity?
Looking forward, I'm most excited about the growing innovation and entrepreneurship in health equity. There's a notable shift towards addressing specific needs, such as maternal health disparities, with innovative solutions that not only improve outcomes but also reduce costs. This momentum was evident at the recent HLTH Conference, where health equity took center stage, attracting diverse stakeholders from investors to entrepreneurs. I believe C-level leaders must stay informed and foster innovation within their teams to advance health equity effectively.
Within our organization, we've embraced innovation as a strategic mindset. We invest in and train leaders to think creatively and draw insights from various industries. This approach is enhancing problem-solving capabilities, especially in tackling health equity issues. Additionally, there's a noticeable shift in infrastructure, particularly in data collection and analysis, enabling better resource allocation and innovative approaches informed by robust data. These developments are crucial for transforming healthcare delivery and ensuring equitable outcomes for all populations.
Q
Are there any headwinds that you see or predict going forward the next several years?
One significant challenge will be integrating AI and other new technologies while ensuring they enhance health equity rather than unintentionally perpetuate disparities. It's crucial that we prioritize awareness and intentionality in how these tools are designed and applied, ensuring health equity is considered from the outset, not as an afterthought. This presents a dynamic opportunity for leaders and entrepreneurs to innovate with a strong focus on equitable healthcare solutions.