Health Equity

Rural emergency hospitals grapple with how to make the move to providing 24-hour emergency care.

Hospitals can use this change path tool to create an action plan for collecting and reporting data for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' new social determinants of health (SDOH) measures.

This resource created by Health Quality Innovators (HQI) features snippets from peer hospitals explaining the steps they took toward health equity at their own institutions. Hospitals can use this resource for brainstorming ideas to get started or move forward with implementing health equity initiatives.

This guide from the American Hospital Association (AHA) describes the link between food insecurity and adverse health issues and outlines clinical and nonclinical approaches that hospitals and health systems can use to reduce food insecurity and the stigma often associated with it.

This webpage provides information on the causes and effects of food insecurity, ways to take action to provide food security and how to find food banks.

This Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) webpage provides answers to commonly asked questions regarding elder abuse—what it is, scale of the issue, possible consequences and how to prevent.

In this recorded presentation, Maria De La Cruz, MPA, shares how Harris Health System in Houston, Texas, implemented the "Food Farmacy" program to address food insecurity among its patients. The presentation identifies the resources and support needed to successfully implement similar programs.

This annual report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality summarizes the status of health care delivery in the United States, providing a statistical portrait of how effectively health care delivery systems provide safe, high-quality and equitable care to Americans.

Watch the fourth webinar in the Health Equity webinar series. In this webinar, subject-matter experts with ATW Health Solutions answered questions and furthered explore health equity issues.

In this recorded webinar, subject matter experts from ATW Health Solutions discussed how participants can incorporate equity-focused strategies in their quality improvement (QI) efforts.

This recent Boardroom Brief from the American Hospital Association Trustee Services highlights the board's role in health equity, and explains how hospital and health system boards can prioritize health equity at their organizations.

In this recorded webinar, subject matter experts from ATW Health Solutions asked attendees to consider common health disparities, discuss the potential root causes of health disparities and review the different ways they are perpetuated today. Also included: stategies for addressing health disparities.

The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute developed the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps website to give the majority of counties in the United States the data to help improve health equity in their communities. The data provides a snapshot of how health is influenced by where we live, learn, work and play.

In this recorded webinar, subject matter experts from ATW Health Solutions shared ideas and strategies to help participants consider how to make health equity a strategic priority.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released this Call to Action to encourage partners across health care, social care, public health, government and health information technology organizations to collaborate in support of equitable health outcomes.

Watch this webinar from the Health Quality Innovation Network (HQIN) to learn how factors such as social needs, transition processes, medication management and chronic conditions increase the likelihood of frequent ED visits.

The American Hospital Association’s Institute for Diversity and Health Equity biennial Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Benchmark Survey provides a snapshot of hospitals’ attitudes and practices regarding diversity in the workforce; leadership and governance; equity; and inclusive policies and behavior.

In this video, Dr. Erin Carlson, from The University of Texas at Arlington, discusses the root causes of disparities and inequities in the health care system that contribute to emergency department usage.

This Jan. 2, 2024, article from The Dallas Observer highlights the success of the RIGHT Care Unit, which consists of an interdisciplinary team of first responders and health care professionals who respond to 911 calls from individuals experiencing behavioral health crises across the Dallas metro area.

This action plan from the Veterans Health Administration is a living strategic document to achieve health equity for U.S. veterans, and is meant to be reviewed, updated and assessed regularly.

This work plan from the Health Quality Innovation Network can be used to help organizations as they work toward creating and advancing a culture of equity with strategies to consider and necessary steps for successful implementation.

New research from the International Journal of Aging and Human Development highlights the significant health disparities that exist among older adults that hold a General Education Development certificate and those that have a high school diploma.

Given the impact that remote patient monitoring (RPM) can have in addressing chronic conditions like hypertension, there is a need for more funding to improve access to proven, digital health interventions. Regulations must be revamped so health care facilities in all settings can bill for RPM.

Health equity is a central focus of the Healthy People initiative. Healthy People 2030 offers tools and resources to support efforts to advance health equity and now features disparities data for many objectives. Health care providers and others can track changes in health disparities, over time, to see where the nation is improving and where increasing health equity efforts need to be improved.

This report provides additional information about the 2023 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Health Equity Conference, its attendees, themes and more resources about health equity and CMS.

In this recorded webinar, a representative from the Joint Commission described how organizations can use its standards to measure and improve performance. Participants also reviewed the new national patient safety goal geared toward promoting equity and explored strategies for reaching that goal.

In this recorded webinar, subject-matter experts from ATW Health Solutions discuss the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care (National CLAS Standards). Among other things, participants learned how to develop a plan for implementing CLAS and get leadership support for that plan.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is abuse or aggression that occurs in a romantic relationship. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), IPV is related to serious health issues. This CDC website can help health care workers better understand IPV, and how they can help prevent it.

Child abuse and neglect are serious public health problems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintains this website so health care workers can better understand chlild abuse and neglect. This CDC website also provides evidence-based strategies that can help health care workers prevent child abuse and neglect.

Elder abuse occurs when an older adult experiences an act that causes them harm. Abuse, including neglect and exploitation, is experienced by about 1 in 10 people, aged 60 and older, who live at home. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintains a website that can help health care workers better understand elder abuse. This CDC website also offers evidence-based strategies that can help health care workers prevent elder abuse.

To treat patients’ social needs, we must first identify those needs. The American Hospital Association created this guide to help hospital-based health care providers, patients and community stakeholders determine how to screen and identify the socioeconomic challenges some people may face.

This whitepaper from TMF Health Quality Institute describes key social determinants of health (SDOH) and how they affect health outcomes. The whitepaper includes examples of how provider organizations and hospitals and community-based stakeholders can work together to address SDOH.

This article discusses ways to improve patient transfers from one facility to another. Effective transfers helps ensure that all patients have access to quality care.

This article, from Optum.com, explores how commercial Medicare Advantage insurance plans can address social determinants of health (SDOH), just as Medicare or Medicaid do. According to Optum.com, addressing SDOH requires an evolution in coding capabilities within existing documentation systems.

The American Hospital Association shares these videos to help hospital-based health care providers explore ways to address the social determinants of health that directly affect their patients' wellbeing.

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation has released an environmental scan that details the improvements made to COVID-19 testing and vaccination rates, in particular highlighting individuals who are at a disproportionate risk of contracting the virus that causes COVID-19 or experiencing related adverse outcomes because of chronic conditions.

The Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) website, maintained by the American Hospital Association (AHA), houses reports and case studies, along with webinars and videos, on several SDOH characteristics. The AHA website also links to resources hospitals can use to better meet their community's needs while addressing health care disparities.

Where and how people live directly affects their heath. People experiencing housing instability have limited access to preventive care and are more likely to have infectious diseases and chronic health conditions. This website, maintained by the American Hospital Association, shares resources to help hospital workers better understand how housing instability affects health, and what they can do to ensure that people in their communities have access to affordable, stable housing.

People who do not have reliable transportation may find it difficult to access health care, which results in missed or delayed access to preventive health care services. This website, maintained by the American Hospital Association, shares resources to help hospital workers better understand how transportation issues affect health and health care outcomes, and what they can do to reduce transportation barriers in their communities.

Understanding health coverage can be confusing, but the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is making it easier through its Coverage to Care (C2C) initiativer. CMS released updated resources in several languages to help patients understand their coverage and get services.

This Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) stratified report discusses racial, ethnic and gender differences in health care experiences and quality of care for Medicare Advantage enrollees.

This Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) infographic discusses health disparities among people with limited English proficiency and relevant resources.

This Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) data highlight discusses the future medical needs and challenges of America's growing Hispanic population.

This Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) guide helps organizations implement the National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards and improve health equity.

This Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) webpage offers information and resources on which preventive health care services are available at no cost under most health coverage.

Behavioral health care usually starts with a screening and diagnosis. It includes treatment, recovery services and support. Use this guide to learn how to use your health coverage to improve your mental health. This guide is part of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' C2C Coverage to Care series.

A language access plan can help ensure that an organization provides high quality and appropriate language services. This guide, developed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, identifies ways that providers can assess their programs and develop language access plans to ensure persons with limited English proficiency have meaningful access to their programs.

This Data Highlight report from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid analyzes the use of Z codes for social determinants of health data in a sample of Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollees drawn from a single, nationwide insurer from 2016 through 2019, which shows low rates of Z code utilization in MA at the enrollee and claims-level.

This resource from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) can help providers better understand the use of Z codes to improve the quality and collection of health equity data. Using social determinants of health, Z codes can enhance quality improvement activities, track factors that influence people’s health and provide further insight into existing health inequities.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has created a new state total cost-of-care model designed to enhance multi-payer alignment. The AHEAD Model has several goals: to collaborate with states to curb health care cost growth, improve population health and reduce disparities in health outcomes.

A new analysis of health and nutrition, conducted by a team from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, shows that social determinants of health (SDOH) significantly influence heart failure outcomes for people of color. The study also shows that patients with incomes below the federal poverty level face more challenges to overcome within the different categories of SDOH.

In this recorded webinar, subject-matter experts from ATW Health Solutions explore how enhanced communication efforts can help your organization meet the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care (National CLAS Standards). Among other things, participants in this second CLAS webinar discussed how to assess their organization's success in creating an effective language services program.

This article explains the differences between value-based care (VBC) programs and the traditional fee-for-service model, and discusses how patient engagement is is key to the success of VBC programs.

This article examines recent research about how new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, can be used in a post-discharge patient engagement program. New technologies could address factors beyond social determinants of health (SDOH) and address emotional, behavioral and other barriers to recovery.

Social determinants of health (SDOH) are the nonmedical factors that influence health outcomes. In 2024, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid will require hospitals in the Inpatient Quality Reporting program to submit two new SDOH measures. This recording provides an overview of these new measures.

In this podcast from the American Hospital Association, two heads of rural health systems explain how they're working to reach underserved communities. They also describe the steps they are taking to get to full equity.

This webinar recording, organized by Health Services Advisory Group (HSAG), discusses the role health literacy plays in care coordination.

This webinar recording, organized by Health Services Advisory Group (HSAG), introduces tools to address health disparities and social determinants of health that impact readmissions.

This presentation, organized by Health Services Advisory Group (HSAG), discusses how a facility can identify the contributing factors that impact health equity and readmissions.

This tool, developed by Telligen, is an easy reference that can be kept on a badge reel or in a wallet to encourage the use of people-first language.

Social determinants of health (SDOH) are the nonmedical factors that influence health outcomes. This recording will discuss the categories of Z-codes and how they can be used to improve health care processes.

Social determinants of health (SDOH) are the nonmedical factors that influence health outcomes. This recording reviews the five domains of SDOH identified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid for hospitals to screen.

This checklist, from the Eastern U.S. Quality Improvement Collaborative (EQIC), can help hospital staff assess how well the hospital has incorporated health equity best practices in its operations.

Medicare beneficiaries with dementia could have better access to coordinated care under a model announced in August 2023 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

When the pandemic was at its peak, Medicare expanded its coverage of telehealth visits. Most of the coverage expansions are temporary and scheduled to expire at the end of 2024. This article explores how audio-only telehealth visits, which will continue to be covered by Medicare, enhances access to mental heath and other care.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services offers a 4-minute, animated video that explains when a proxy response is allowed for Social Determinants of Health items.

This resource helps health care leaders plan training for clinical staff who must collect data on the social determinants of health; several sample workflows are presented to assist in planning training.

This article discusses the challenges that people in rural communities face when accessing health care services, including when trying to get recommended vaccinations. The article also highlights strategies that have been successful in helping people overcome those challenges.

This resource provides scripting options clinical staff can use to communicate with patients when gathering Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) information.

This article explains the differences between value-based care (VBC) programs and the traditional fee-for-service model, and discusses how patient engagement is is key to the success of VBC programs.

In a recorded webinar, panelists from the Primary Care Development Corporation discuss issues related to health equity.The panelists also share strategies that help health care providers assess their clients' needs in order to best respond to those needs.

The CDC Foundation produced a series of videos that address health equity as well as systems change approaches to eliminating health inequities.

The United States leads other developed countries in having health care disparities between rural and urban residents. This article summarizes the results of a study published in July 2023. Note: You must create a free account with Medscape to read this report and other articles.

This article summarizes a 2019 study that found that the population rate of emergency department visits related to substance use disorders was highest among Black non-Hispanic individuals. Understanding how this and other findings can help highlight potential inequities in care.

In this recorded one-hour webinar, subject-matter experts from ATW Health Solutions explore how implementing the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care (National CLAS Standards) can help advance health equity. In this first of three webinars, viewers will learn why it's important to implement these standards and review the National CLAS Standards' Principal Standard and Themes, with particular attention on Theme 3.

This article analyzes design tools for advancing equity through payment. The tools and related examples correspond to four design considerations: performance measurement, spending targets, performance-based incentives and care delivery redesign.

This article describes how organizations can ensure continuous improvement, which will result in a higher "Star Rating" with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

LaVarne Burton, president and chief executive officer of the American Kidney Fund, was part of an expert panel that discussed efforts to ensure that all people have access to the most effective kidney care. The webinar was hosted by the U.S. News and World Report.

People with limited resources and incomes may be eligible to participate in the Extra Help program. In addition to the Fact Sheet, information about the Extra Help program can be found at https://www.medicare.gov/basics/costs/help/drug-costs.

Pharmacists at the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) 2023 Annual Meeting discussed the role of data collection and analysis in the movement toward health equity. Panelists emphasized that a variety of data needs to be collected, including race, ethnicity, language, SDOH, geography, disabilities, sexual orientation and gender identification information. All of these factors play a role in narrowing the gaps in health care.

This article describes the diverse rural and remote populations across the nation, highlighting sources of strength and struggle for rural Americans and rural health care providers. The article also explores approaches to disaster behavioral health in rural and remote areas.

Community engagement is key in developing and implementing strategies to improve health, increase value and drive equitable care delivery. This resource guide provides rural health care leaders with a variety of toolkits, strategies and information to help initiate, improve and inspire community engagement strategies that support value.

This article addresses how social determinants of health (SDOH) increase or decrease the risk of poor health outcomes and why doing so is critical to improving the nation’s health and wellbeing.

Effective July 1, 2023, a new voluntary Health Care Equity (HCE) certification program will be available to recognize hospitals that strive for excellence in efforts to provide equitable care. This program builds upon the Joint Commission’s existing health equity accreditation standards and requirements to reduce health care disparities. This on-demand webinar will introduce each standard and element of performance. This webinar is approved for 1 Continuing Education Credit until July 24..

This infographic from American Hospital Association data shows how hospitals are addressing social needs of their patients. In surveys, 87% of hospitals reported that their health systems screen some patients for social needs and that, on average, hospitals have 19 types of external partnerships to support population and/or community health.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) continues to work toward achieving health equity in testing its payment and service delivery models. This article describe future CMMI efforts, which includes developing new models and revising existing models to promote and incentivize equitable care and increasing its collection and analysis of equity data.

Community health workers (CHWs) can improve health outcomes for those in the populations they serve. This blog post explores how CHWs bridge gaps between health professionals and their patients’ communities.

Chronic diseases pose a significant problem in the United States resulting in substantial morbidity, mortality, disability and cost. The CMS Office of Minority Health has designed an interactive map, the Mapping Medicare Disparities (MMD) Tool, to identify areas of disparities between subgroups of Medicare enrollees (e.g., racial and ethnic groups) in health outcomes, utilization and spending.

The American Hospital Association created this toolkit for hospitals to use in educating staff about the importance of data collection, how to implement a framework to collect race, ethnicity and primary language data, and ultimately how to use these data to improve quality of care for all populations.

When the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (Innovation Center) launched the Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Model in 2017, the intent was to test whether connecting Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries to community resources and addressing health-related social needs (HRSNs) can improve health outcomes and reduce costs. This report provides an overview of findings from the Second Evaluation Report.

This article explores how social determinants of health contribute to uncontrolled blood pressure among Black adults. One conclusion: addressing the structural racism that leads to this challege requires interventions at the individual, interpersonal and institutional levels.

The report provides a portrait of the health and well-being of older adults across the United States. The report covers social and economic factors, physical environment, clinical care, behaviors and health outcomes. It includes state-by-state summaries and county-level maps for risk of social isolation by state.

Listen to this Marketplace report about how one small, rural hospital in Texas struggles to stay afloat as operating expenses rise, but patient volume declines

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid's health equity strategy will build on the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to advancing racial equity and support for underserved communities through the federal government, as described in President Biden's Executive Orders 13985 and 14091.

The Health Equity Roadmap is a framework to help hospitals and health care systems chart a path toward becoming more equitable and inclusive organizations.

This study shows that rural patients have worse diabetic quality metrics than their urban counterparts, even when controlling for common contributing factors within the same integrated health system.

Watch a recording of the May 17, 2023 U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, Subcommittee on Health Care. The hearing addresses improving access to high-quality, affordable healthcare in rural communities.

Watch the first of a three-part webinar series on rural emergency preparedness. The webinar features four panelists who share tips on how to collaborate and form partnerships in their communities.

This article shares results of a study that examined how critical access hospitals — facilities with 25 or fewer beds located more than 35 miles from another hospital — and other rural providers have partnered to overcome their challenges to providing quality health care to people in their communities.

This article discusses how the physical and economic burdens of living with type 2 diabetes may make it harder for Medicare beneficiaries to afford, access and prepare health-promoting food.

In 2008, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) researched how many areas in the United States are “food deserts” - where people have limited access to food retailers providing fresh produce and healthy groceries for affordable prices. This article explores how nonprofit grocery stores offer a new approach to addressing food insecurity.

This article describes an analysis of June 2022 data from the Urban Institute's Health Reform Monitoring Survey (HRMS). The result: five percent of adults reported that transportation barriers meant they couldn't get the health care they needed. The experiences varied significantly by race/ethnicity, income, disability status, health insurance coverage, rural/urban residence and household access to a vehicle.

This article explores how including equity as an important goal of the U.S. health system can improve efficiency in how resources are allocated.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an updated framework to further advance health equity, expand coverage and improve health outcomes for the more than 170 million individuals supported by CMS programs.

This article explores how community health workers (CHWs) help ensure patients are well cared for and provider practices meet benchmarks. CHWs have a deep understanding of the communities they serve and, as a result, can address social determinants of health (SDOH) that often lead to disparities. CHWs also provide education, advocacy, and outreach opportunities for community members.

This guide promotes the ideal that all people have a right to live a healthy, tobacco-free life, regardless of their race, level of education, gender identity, sexual orientation, the job they have, the neighborhood they live in or whether or not they have a disability. The guide focuses on programs and intervention that have shown evidence of effectiveness.

In this strategic plan, the National Institutes of Health explains how it hopes to grow and sustain diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) across all of the agency's activities. The strategic plan has three objectives: enhancing DEIA through structural and cultural change; implementing organizational practices to center and prioritize DEIA in the biomedical and behavioral research workforce and advancing DEIA through research.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing to recognize, for the first time, that homelessness impacts resource utilization in the acute inpatient hospital setting. CMS is also proposing that rural emergency hospitals could be designated as graduate medical education training sites.

This article explores how communities can address health care disparities by using funding to build health worker programs. The article focuses on six rural counties involved in the University of Kansas Medical Center's Local Health Equity Action Teams initiative.

This policy brief includes an analysis of the current rural health care status and offers policy and action recommendations.

Collected by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, these resources can inform the efforts of Partnerships for Community Health to advance policies, practices and programs that foster health and wellbeing for all.

This article examines how food access and security affects health and well-being. It states that many illnesses, such as heart disease and diabetes, may be diet-related. However, through community health partnerships, health care organizations are trying to connect patients in need with nutritious food.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), health care organizations should strive to ensure information, products and services are accessible and easily understood. This CDC website provides step-by-step guidance on how to improve health literacy in your organization.

Dawn Morales, PhD, is the program chief of the Office of Rural Mental Health Research at the National Institute of Mental Health. In this article, Morales discusses the challenges facing rural mental healthcare, as well as why it's important for heath care providers to understand the people and cultures they serve.

This article presents results of a study that evaluated the Kentucky Access to Recovery Program (KATR), which provides services to low-income adults recovering from opioid addiction in several rural eastern Kentucky counties.

This article shares unique strategies hospitals are taking to reduce health disparities in underserved communities. The idea is to look at patient health rather than health care, working with community partners to have lasting success.

This article highlights the Advancing Integrated Models (AIM) program and the gains pilot sites have made in pursuing person-centered approaches for delivering medical, behavioral health and social services.

This article explores food insecurity and the impact nutrition-related diseases have on health inequity and health care costs in the US and globally. The article also offers potential interventions to address nutrition security in different populations.

Researchers have identified how social determinants of health (SDoH) impact vulnerable communities. SDoH data help clinicians and public health experts better understand those who live in their communities. Community Health Programs (CHPs) continue to incorporate elements of SDoH into their work serving patients. This report, from Executives for Health Innovation, provides an overview of the important elements of incorporating SDoH into a community health strategy.

This article explores reactions to the news that St. Mark's Medical Center in La Grange, Texas, become a Rural Emergency Hospital. It was a surprise of many local people who worry that the move adds more barriers to health care for the residents in Fayette County, Texas, where La Grange is located.

Beginning in 2020 as a part of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Quality Improvement Contract (HQIC), the Eastern US Quality Improvement Collaborative (EQIC) initiative supports participating hospitals' improvement work with education, tools, resources and direct project management support. This EQIC page offers information, tools, resources, webinars and focus areas targeting equity in the care of all patients.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Minority Health has developed this fact sheet to give health care providers more information to help them improve how they communicate with their patients and staff, and to better understand and recognize differences in communication styles.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Minority Health has developed this fact sheet to give health care providers more information about different aspects of communication styles and how they tend to vary across cultures.

Advancing health equity is one of five main goals in a 10-year strategic plan released by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid innovation (CMMI). This article describes progress made toward reaching this goal since CMMI unveiled its strategic plan in October 2021.

This article describes how two communities, in two states, created a home-health model to address rural health needs.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved an amendment to Arkansas' Medicaid section 1115 demonstration. The approved amendment will address various health-related social needs among targeted populations.

This article addresses food insecurity, the ways in which it affects patients' health outcomes and how nutritional awareness can reduce vulnerabilities, address health equity and drive value-based care.

The hospital-at-home model became popular during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health care organizations, as a result, provided care in patient homes. This article explores why health care organizations continue to rely on hospital-at-home models, even while in-person care has resumed.

Medicare patients can get emergency care and other services at rural emergency hospitals (REH) on an outpatient basis. This article lists the criteria a facility must meet to be considered an REH, along with information about how to bill for such services.

This article focuses on a "Health Affairs" study that found a link between food insecurity and missed workdays and overnight hospital stays among U.S. adults with diabetes.

This article focuses on some of the barriers that minorities face when trying to manage their Type 2 diabetes. These barriers include lack of diabetes education, as well as limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables and transportation to health care services.

This Q&A fact sheet provides answers to frequently asked questions regarding the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation.

In this article, Dr. Meena Seshamani, director, Center of Medicare, discusses the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' efforts to grow participation in Accountable Care Organizations, where groups of providers come together to provide more holistic care of their populations, taking accountability for the quality and cost of care

This topic guide introduces Rural Health Disparities and can be used as a reference that collects the “best of the best” resources, such as selected documents, organizations, tools, funding opportunities, news items, events and program examples.

This article discusses some of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' policies to support rural providers, improve access to care in rural areas and support the transformation of the rural health delivery system.

This article highlights a rural Arizona health clinic's efforts to increase vaccination rates and improve access to other health services. Approaches include offering childhood immunizations at dental clinics, adding more walk-in hours at health clinics, and reaching farmworkers with mobile medical and dental clinics.

New National Institutes of Health data documents rural-urban health disparities, with this latest study finding that those living in rural regions are 19% more likely to develop heart failure than those living in urban areas. The study, published in JAMA Cardiology, also found that Black men living in rural areas were 34% more likely to develop heart failure than Black men in urban areas.

This article addresses how social determinants of health (SDOH), such as food and housing insecurity can directly increase the burden of other blood vessel diseases, such as heart disease and stroke. Exploring and understanding the relationship between peripheral artery disease (PAD) and negative social determinants of health (SDOH) in older Black adults could lead to earlier diagnoses.

This article describes the challenges in funding opioid overdose prevention programs in rural counties. Although rural areas have been disproportionately harmed by the opioid crisis, the highest amount of settlement dollars are allocated to urban counties.

This recently updated topic guide provides an overview of health care access in rural America, including the benefits and barriers that rural residents face.

Compiled in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and other agencies, the information in this toolkit is meant to help rural areas better prepare for public health emergencies, disasters and threats.

Millions of Americans live in rural or underserved areas where there are fewer medical care facilities and doctors with specialized expertise. One doctor in New Mexico is trying to help change that with his vision dubbed "Project ECHO." Fred de Sam Lazaro reports in a partnership with the Under-Told Stories Project at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota.

Recent studies have shown racial disparities in insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor use in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes, but not many have explored this among adults with type 1 diabetes. This study, published in the January 2023 issue of Diabetes Care, showed that significant racial disparities were observed in discussions, prescribing and use of diabetes technology.

Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of Mississippi Medical Center are studying sustainable and effective Type 2 diabetes management interventions in adults who have Type 2 diabetes and sub-optimal social determinants of health. The study will enroll patients in Alabama and Mississippi to evaluate variables such as health coaching, food delivery and remote patient-monitoring to see which will help patients manage diabetes.

COVID-19 is challenging to explain, live through and communicate about. The materials on this webpage were created to help make communicating about COVID-19 a little easier. Choose from videos, posters, social stories and interactive activities to best meet your communication needs.

This measure for hospitals to evaluate communication for transitions of care during emergency department (ED) transfers is particularly relevant for critical access hospitals (CAHs). The measure is included in the Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP). The goal of MBQIP is to improve the quality of care provided in CAHs by increasing quality data reporting that will drive quality improvement activities based on the data.

Rural health policy experts, researchers and clinicians review the impact of the Rural Health Clinic Services Act of 1977 on outpatient healthcare delivery in rural America.

This new topic guide features resources and information regarding the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH). The guide describes the contribution different payers make to rural healthcare, payment systems and related facility types in rural areas and how payment policies impact rural facilities' financial sustainability.

The results of this survey study suggest that rural hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals and Safety Net Hospitals are not doing more and, in some cases, are engaging in fewer strategies to address the Social Determinants of Health of their vulnerable populations, especially regarding community partnerships.

Access to health care is limited in rural Texas. The mobile clinic operated by Beaumont-based TAN Healthcare aims to close that gap.

A public health crisis is growing more acute in rural America, affecting individuals with both Medicaid and Medicare (the “dually eligible”). Rural residents suffer a “rural mortality penalty,” with rurality and poverty as predictors of mortality. Among the social determinants are hospital closures, workforce shortages, migration to urban centers, inadequate transportation and limited access to broadband internet. Perhaps most affected are cultural minority populations and indigenous peoples.

Recent research finds that, on average, rural populations are older than urban populations, and the proportion of older adults is increasing more quickly in rural communities. While most older adults want to stay in their own homes as they age, older adults living alone in rural areas can be socially isolated and lonely. n, loneliness, and unsafe living conditions.

This article announces the Center for Advancing Rural Health Equity (CARHE) inauguration. CARHE will focus on identifying and addressing persistent health disparities through collaboration and will engage with the community to better understand the issues people face when accessing health care.

This fact sheet provides an overview of telehealth policies for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). The fact sheet covers originating and distance sites, reimbursement and services outside the FQHC. It includes a chart of FQHC Medicaid telehealth reimbursement eligibility by state.

This toolkit compiles evidence-based and promising models and resources to support organizations implementing emergency planning, response and recovery efforts in rural communities across the United States.

This article describes the role of State Offices of Rural Health (SORHs) in relation to state Primary Care Offices (PCOs), highlighting New Hampshire's Office of Rural Health and Primary Care. The article also discusses collaboration between SORHs and other state offices and the unique challenges of supporting rural health.

This recently updated topic guide provides resources and information about healthcare and population health issues in remote and sparsely populated areas. It also features a new FAQ on health-related infrastructure challenges in rural areas.

This article highlights efforts to incorporate traditional Native American medicine and spiritual practices alongside Western medicine through Indian Health Service (IHS) facilities, focusing on this work in the Navajo Nation. The article describes issues of intergenerational trauma and mental health struggles and barriers to mental health services for Native people in Arizona.

Recent studies have shown racial disparities in insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor use in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes, but not many have explored this among adults with type 1 diabetes. This study, published in the January 2023 issue of Diabetes Care, showed that significant racial disparities were observed in discussions, prescribing and use of diabetes technology.

The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) has identified some of the SDoH that have been found to contribute to people developing kidney disease. There are many environmental, medical, and social factors that contribute to an increased risk of developing kidney disease, also known as chronic kidney disease or CKD.

This new website from the American Kidney Fund is intended to improve health equity, especially among patients from underrepresented groups. The site houses tools and resources that can be shared with patients to help them have conversations with their doctors and make informed health care decisions.

The Black community tops the list of groups afflicted by hypertension, stroke, diabetes, heart disease, kidney failure and cancer. In this podcast, Dr. Richard Walker offers a number of commonsense ways to prevent, manage and possibly eliminate these killers, turning the tide of African-American health.

This flyer promotes the Patient and Family Engagement network and can be displayed in many settings.

This flyer promotes the Partnership for Community Health network and can be displayed in many settings.

This article explores how rural chief financial officers (CFOs) and hospital administrators perceive the financial impacts of telehealth in their facilities. Analyzes 30 interview responses from CFOs and administrators between October 2021 and January 2022 about the perceived benefits and challenges of telehealth programs/ The article also discusses opportunities to improve telehealth infrastructure to make the modality more cost effective for hospitals.

For our Nebraska Partnership for Community Health members -- Nebraska nursing students may be qualified for scholarships through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Qualified applicants will receive scholarships on a first-come, first-served basis. When scholarship recipients graduate, they must practice nursing in Nebraska for at least two years. Visit the Application for Nursing Incentives Scholarship Program for more information and to apply.

Health care providers are required to offer everyone access to medical services without discrimination on the basis of disability. Use this guide to learn how to work with your provider to get the care you need. This guides is part of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' C2C Coverage to Care series.

This article presents findings on efforts by rural hospitals to address social determinants of health (SDOH).

This topic guide offers resources and information on how rural healthcare providers are reimbursed by different payers and payment systems, including by programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.

Community-based organizations that can demonstrate need for an automated external defibrillator (AED) can apply for a grant to cover all or part of the costs associated with purchasing the equipment. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics providers who have a DATA 2000 waiver to prescribe buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder can apply for a one-time direct payment of $3,000. Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.

This national network of clinical care teams can provide expert medical advice and COVID surge support using network enabled mobile devices. Critical care experts from around the country can assist with e-consults, remote home monitoring, relief coverage, tiered staffing, and specialty services. Applications for such assistance are accepted on an ongoing basis.

This article shares the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) program’s history. Thanks to decades of work by many — federal agencies, dedicated public health experts and researchers, health policy experts, membership organizations, and the rural healthcare delivery teams themselves — RHCs now number nearly 5,200.

Beginning January 1, 2023, rural hospitals that qualify can seek the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The program aims to ensure access to critical outpatient hospital services in communities that may not have a Critical Access Hospital or small rural hospital. REH-designated facilities will get enhanced Medicare payments for certain outpatient services. This webpage has links to resources that explain the program.

Access to health care is limited in rural Texas. This article describes how a mobile medical unit operated by a Federally Qualified Health Center helps meet the needs of the underserved in rural communities in eastern Texas.

After comparing the structure, capabilities and payment reform participation in a variety of settings, a key finding in this study is that despite challenges, Medicare patients may be able to adequately get primary care services in rural settings.

Among other things, this study finds that, on average, rural populations are older than urban populations, and the proportion of older adults is increasing more quickly in rural communities. The majority of older adults would prefer to remain in their own home as they age, but older adults living alone in rural areas are at risk of social isolation, loneliness and unsafe living conditions

This form can be used to help patients and their families talk with health care providers about being admitted to a new health care setting such as a long-term care facility, in-patient rehabilitation, skilled nursing facility or a long-term acute care facility.

Learn how health literacy and cross-cultural communication can help patients better manage their chronic diseases. In this TMF Quality Innovation Network presentation, Erin Carlson, DrPH., MPH, shares practical guidelines and examples of health literacy education for provider-patient encounters. She provides tools and resources you can use to implement health literacy principles within your health care organization.

This guide has a checklist of important items to discuss with your health care team when being discharged from a long-term care facility, in-patient rehabilitation, skilled nursing facility, or a long-term acute care facility.

The national Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) standards were created in 2000 to advance health equity, improve quality and help eliminate health care disparities. One specific standard, the number eight standard, calls for health care institutions to provide easy-to-understand print and multimedia materials for patients, families and the community. This was never more important than during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about this standard and how to apply it in your everyday practices.

This study’s findings suggest that Medicare beneficiaries from small town and rural areas were more likely to undergo surgery for non-metastatic colon cancer than metropolitan beneficiaries. They are also more likely to undergo emergent surgery and less likely to have minimally invasive surgery. The experiences of rural patients varied by race; rurality was associated with higher postoperative mortality for Black patients but not for other racial and ethnic groups.

This toolkit can help stakeholders and collaborators measure how systems and actions align across sectors to improve community health and well-being in sustainable ways.

Results of this study indicate that the pattern of rural hospital closures may have indirectly led to improved access for rural populations to other community healthcare services including Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics.

Physicians in geographic Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) can get incentive payments from Medicare. Psychiatrists practicing in mental health HPSAs are also eligible. Payments are made on a quarterly basis, rather than claim-by-claim, and are handled by each area's Medicare carrier. Note: The Health Resources & Services Administration makes shortage area designations, not the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

This guide provides assistance in meeting the new health equity elements of performance for The Joint Commission. It provides resources and information on how hospitals can attest to each element.

Effective Jan. 1, 2023, new and revised requirements to reduce health care disparities will apply to organizations in the Joint Commission’s ambulatory health care, behavioral health care and human services, critical access hospital, and hospital accreditation programs. This report provides the rationale and references that The Joint Commission employs in the development of new requirements.

An important part of the Coverage to Care (C2C) journey is prevention. These resources focused on prevention and healthy living can be shared with consumers, reposted online, printed or ordered. C2C also has resources to help you and your family stay safe and healthy.

This tool is available in Arabic, Chinese, English, Haitian Creole, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Ukrainian and Vietnamese. There is also a Tribal Version available. The tool explains what health coverage is and how to use it to get primary care and preventive services for you and your family.

This resource from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health provides an update to past-published data focused on Z code claims for Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries.

This report seeks to engage all people in a linked, multilevel effort to create a health literate society. The action plan identifies seven overarching goals and highest priority strategies that should be pursued to achieve health literacy.

This tool helps patients to be more engaged in prevention, decision making and self-management by calling health care providers to approach all patients as if they are at risk for not understanding health information, employ a range of strategies for clear communication and confirm patients understand what providers are saying.

This workbook from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is aimed at public health practitioners and partners interested in addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) in order to promote health and achieve health equity. It was created to encourage and support the development of new and the expansion of existing, initiatives and partnerships to address the SDOH inequities.

QIN-QIOs will help providers develop a CLAS implementation action plan using the "An Implementation Checklist for the National CLAS Standards" checklist, developed by the U.S. Health and Human Services department.See pages 4-8.

This webpage offers many resources in English and Spanish for the Latinx/Hispanic communities to help raise awareness about mental health. Mental Health America (MHA) develops materials and content that work to bridge the gap in knowledge about mental health conditions with the goal of normalizing conversations around mental health in the Latinx/Hispanic communities.

This self-directed training course is designed for physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners. With growing concerns about racial and ethnic disparities in health and about the need for health care systems to accommodate increasingly diverse patient populations, cultural competence is a matter of national concern. This e-learning program will equip health care providers with competencies that will enable them to better treat the increasingly diverse U.S. population.

This tip sheet lists Z codes that can help practices identify unmet needs and barriers of patients.

The Rural Health Redesign Center provides technical assistance to rural hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals interested in examining the feasibility of converting to a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH).

This article explores study results that found when future family medicine (FM) providers do their residencies in rural areas, they are more likely to consider eventually practicing in rural areas. Findings further suggest increasing the amount of rural exposure during FM residencies may be a way to strengthen future rural primary care workforce supply.

In this cross-sectional study, U.S. rural counties had the highest overall diabetes mortality rate. The determinants of persistent rural disparities, in particular for rural men and for adults in the rural South, require investigation.

The Community Health Center Capital Fund LoanPLUS Program provides loans and technical assistance designed to smaller health centers and those with limited financial resources. Health centers in the United States and U.S. Territories that have not been able to access financing through conventional lenders are encouraged to apply. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

This article provides an overview of challenges rural LGBTQ+ populations face in getting physical and mental health care. The respondents, representatives from 14 LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, noted that lack of resources and cultural competency in rural areas are among the main hurdles to overcome.

This Resource Guide provides an inventory of federal grants that may be used to serve the transportation needs of older adults and people with disabilities.

This policy brief documents the burden of public stigma associated with mental illness in rural communities compared with non-rural areas. Among the findings: female respondents held more positive attitudes towards recovery than did their male counterparts, while older respondents held more negative stereotypes than did younger respondents.

This document provides an overview of the current hunger, nutrition and health landscape in the United States. The report outlines a national strategy to address hunger and diet-related diseases and disparities.

This report outlines a national support strategy for family caregivers of all ages, including elderly adults, people with disabilities and people with chronic conditions, among others. The report also discusses recommendations for caregivers who live in rural and underserved areas. The Administration for Community Living, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, commissioned the report.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is providing free vials of monkeypox vaccine for projects seeking to address vaccination disparities among priority population groups most affected by the disease. The CDC recommends requesting up to 100 vials. Proposals must be submitted through state or territorial health departments, tribal governments, federally funded tribal healthcare facilities, or cities currently getting monkeypox vaccines through the Strategic National Stockpile.

Apply to become a Healthy People 2030 Champion. Healthy People 2030 Champions are a diverse array of public and private organizations that promote strengthening and evaluating efforts to improve the health and well-being of all people. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Healthy People Champions are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion’s Healthy People 2030 project.

This blog post from the Bipartisan Policy Center discusses rural hospital closures and describes the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) model.

This study examines how Medicare beneficiaries used out-of-state telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic, from January to June 2021. One finding: out-of-state telemedicine visits were common and used most by patients who live near state borders or in rural communities. Therefore, limitations on out-of-state telemedicine care may disrupt many existing patient-clinician relationships in primary care and mental health treatment.

This guide from the American Hospital Association (AHA) can aid hospitals in adding social needs data to hospital claims, which enables system-wide research to gain a better understanding of the health-related social needs of patients and communities around the country.

"The Social Determinants of Health Data Journey to Better Outcomes" infographic from the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services outlines steps to collect, report and use Z codes. It also offers directives specific to hospital administrators, coding professionals and providers regarding Z codes.

Created by Million Hearts and the National Association of Community Health Centers, this tool helps organizations achieve at least 80% blood pressure control for their African American – and all – patients with hypertension.

Created by the American Medical Association (AMA), this resource includes guidance from AMA hypertension experts and can improve blood pressure control rates by 10% and sustain results  for patients who are not pregnant and are not diagnosed with congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease or chronic kidney disease stage 3.

Children and youth with special healthcare needs require more care for their physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional differences than their typically developing peers. A special healthcare need can include physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities, as well as long-standing medical conditions.

Use Vaccines.gov to find COVID-19 and flu vaccine providers near you and additional vaccine-related information

This is a tip sheet for providers on new CDC adult vaccine recommendations for Hepatitis B, Zoster (shingles), Pneumococcal, preferred flu vaccines for adults 65 and older, along with tools to help adults catch up on needed vaccinations.

In this study, conducted from June 2020 – June 2021, Miami Beach Community Health Center (MBCHC) identified methods to address hypertension using fortified protocols, advancing their approach to telemedicine and building relationships with their patients. MBCHC saw maintained blood pressure control for more than 80% of patients, with 79.1% of African American patients whose blood pressure was controlled.

The Guide for Community Partners is a resource for organizations with community-level reach that are looking to get engaged in or support COVID-19 vaccination confidence and access in racial and ethnic minority communities.

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute's (PCORI) Ambassador Program is a national volunteer network designed to engage healthcare stakeholders in strengthening the patient-centered outcomes research community and increasing the dissemination of PCORI-funded research. PCORI accepts applications on an ongoing basis for its Ambassador Program.

The Rural Community Health Literacy Toolkit includes evidence-based models and resources to support organizations that want to improve health literacy in rural communities across the United States. The seven modules in the toolkit contain resources and information focused on developing, implementing, evaluating and sustaining rural health literacy programs.

Many physicians who participated in a July 2020 study used telehealth for the first time during the early COVID-19 era. Most respondents found telehealth to be more effective than expected and 77% would be likely to use telehealth after the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey results were published in the American Journal of Managed Care.

In this video, Sparta Community Hospital describes how it worked to identify the social determinants of health in its community. Sparta listened to their community and added a mobile clinic to increase the accessibility of primary care to address barriers and advance health equity.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is assessing its response to the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the health care system is prepared for addressing future emergencies. Visit the CMS website for details of what CMS calls "a cross-cutting initiative" to streamline the process used to reestablish health and safety standards. CMS will identify barriers and opportunities for improvement using a health equity lens.

Learn about the population health initiatives at Jefferson Healthcare, a rural health system located in Port Townsend, Washington. The virtual event, held in November 2021,shared the strategy for population health and equity in a critical access hospital. An event recording, slides, and a Change Path document listing key takeaways and additional resources are available.

This study highlights critical findings on health disparities and inequities related to drug overdose deaths in the United States. The study suggests that evidence-based, culturally responsive overdose prevention efforts are urgently needed.

Health care organizations have the power to address inequities in health outcomes directly at the point of care, and to influence many of the determinants that create inequities. This Institute for Healthcare Improvement white paper provides a five-part framework to improve health equity; a case study of an organization that has strategically integrated this work throughout their system; and a self-assessment tool to gauge current efforts and develop an action plan.

A paper written by The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry presents a framework of how care coordination can successfully be achieved through health information technology systems and reduce structural racism and discrimination for ADRD patients and their caregivers.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is working to help build awareness about the Affordable Connectivity Program, a Federal Communications Commission program. This program is designed to help lower the cost of broadband service for eligible households struggling to afford internet service. Learn how to help eligible patients.

In this presentation, TMF staff discuss how health equity strategies may help organizations reduce hospital readmissions.

This 1-hour, 3-lesson course is for health care providers and staff who are responsible for collecting Medicare patient data from LGBTQ persons. Such data will help providers deliver high quality and culturally competent care to LGBTQ persons. This training on This training on collecting data in clinical settings is grounded in a review of best practices.

Disparities in the quality of care received by minority populations is well documented. This 2-hour, 3-lesson course gives a structured process for identifying and eliminating health disparities. It also explains the benefits to organizations that are considering focused quality improvement efforts targeted to populations at risk for disparities.

The CMS Office of Minority Health offers a comprehensive source of information on eliminating health disparities and improving the health of all minority populations, like racial and ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, individuals with limited English proficiency, and rural populations.

Use this checklist to successfully implement culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS). From the Office of Minority Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

This toolkit can enable organizations to implement the National CLAS Standards and improve health equity.

This Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality webpage is a repository of tools you can use to promote culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS).

This website, from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, promotes education, continuing education opportunities, and resources to learn about culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS).

This website connects you to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) resources for social determinants of health (SDOH) data, research, tools for action, programs and policy. They may be used by people in public health, community organizations, research organizations, and health care systems to assess SDOH and improve community well-being.

Download this manual from the Medicare Learning Network to learn about payment, visit and service changes that went into effect Jan. 1, 2022, for rural health clinics. There are also specific updates related to hospice visits, transitional care management, COVID-19 monoclonal antibody products and mental health care telehealth visits.

Learn how to identify, prioritize and take action on health disparities in your organization with this resource guide from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

This information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasizes the importance of addressing people inclusively and respectfully. The principles are intended to help public health professionals ensure their communication adapts to the specific cultural, linguistic, environmental, and historical situation of each population or audience of focus.

This report summarizes a June 2022 summit held with experts in rural healthcare policy and health equity, among others, to explore how small rural hospitals and Rural Health Clinics can achieve health equity. While discussing the challenges, the report also shares best practices and innovative models in promoting health equity in rural areas.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected communities of color, renewing a focus on health equity. The latest toolkit developed by the American Hospital Association's Institute for Diversity and Health Equity provides evidence-based practices that support cultural humility along with implicit bias training and education as part of its Health Equity Resources Series.

Part of a campaign from the Kaiser Family Foundation's Greater than COVID and the Black Coalition Against COVID, this video is designed to dispel misinformation and provide accessible facts about the vaccine from Black health care workers.

The Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Minority Health and Health Equity has released two videos that speak to the importance of COVID-19 vaccines, how communities of color have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and how it is important to get vaccinated to protect themselves and loved ones from the virus. The videos are available in English and Spanish.

Cultural and linguistic competency is recognized as an important strategy for improving the quality of care provided to clients from diverse backgrounds. The goal of this e-learning program is to help behavioral health professionals increase these skills.

This report from the American Hospital Association provides information and resources for hospitals striving to address the social determinants of health and achieve health equity and diversity.

Helpful measures and tools to assist organizations in identifying the right equity metrics to measure and track progress toward health equity and inclusion.

A report highlighting the racial and ethnic disparities related to social determinants of health, specifically rates of poverty, broadband access, education and insurance of Black, Hispanic, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Asian American and Pacific Islander populations in rural and urban areas.

This report explores the racial and ethnic disparities in rural health outcomes, highlighting rates of premature mortality and disability status of Black, Hispanic, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Asian American and Pacific Islander populations.

This American Hospital Association fact sheet is designed to guide hospitals’ strategies in addressing the social needs of their patients, social determinants of health in their communities and the systemic causes that lead to health inequities.

The development of a dashboard to track racial, ethnic, and language metrics related to patients with coronavirus within the community the health care organization is essential for discovering, addressing and resolving health disparities.

This podcast highlights health inequities in Black and underserved communities through the lens of the COVID-19 public health emergency and this year’s flu season, featuring Elisa Arespacochaga of the American Hospital Association’s Institute for Diversity and Health Equity and Andrea Custis of the Urban League of Philadelphia.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlights effective public health programs for addressing health disparities among specified groups in this 2016 report.

The annual National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report assesses the performance of the country's health care system using more than 250 outcome measures across a broad array of settings and services.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has outlined factors that may contribute to an increased risk for catching COVID-19 in certain racial or minority groups.

Providers can use this form when they want to refer Spanish-speaking patients to cardiac rehabilitation.

This form can be used to help patients and their families talk with health care providers about being admitted to a new health care setting such as a long-term care facility, in-patient rehabilitation, skilled nursing facility or a long-term acute care facility.

This guide has a checklist of important items to discuss with your health care team when being discharged from a long-term care facility, in-patient rehabilitation, skilled nursing facility, or a long-term acute care facility.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will increase payments to hospitals that treat patients who experiencing homelessness. Payments will also increase for hospitals that implement heath equity quality measures.