It is essential that healthcare organizations and systems prioritize health equity as a strategic imperative. Achieving progress in health equity requires a systemic approach to identifying and proactively creating equity where disparities exist. Fundamental to this effort is the adoption of anti-discriminatory systemic practices, which may necessitate significant shifts at every level of the healthcare organization, including approaches to care, resource allocation, and justice initiatives. Health equity principles should seamlessly integrate into strategic plans and organizational goals, with leadership at all levels ensuring their complete incorporation.
Healthcare organizations must conduct thorough assessments of their systems, practices, and policies to identify and rectify inequities. This involves dismantling biased structures and cultivating inclusive environments. It is crucial for systems to distinguish between equality and equity, ensuring that the unique needs and backgrounds of each patient are acknowledged and respected.
Primary care organizations are instrumental in addressing societal disparities when prioritizing health equity as a fundamental requirement at the systemic level. Key strategies to advance equity include nurturing a diverse, inclusive, and proficient leadership and workforce that embody health equity principles and provide culturally and linguistically appropriate healthcare services, promoting interprofessional training and team-based care, and establishing collaborations with diverse stakeholders across community sectors. To drive health equity forward, organizations must also prioritize initiatives such as enhancing health literacy and implementing culturally responsive approaches at all levels of care delivery.