Health Equity Blogs

Native American Heritage Month reminds us about the devastating and disproportionate impact COVID-19 has had on American Indian and Alaskan Native communities. It also presents an opportunity to re-focus efforts to help these communities overcome social and economic obstacles to improve overall health.

There are so many statistics being shared related to maternal mortality in the United States — but what is the real story?

In this conversation, Darren Henson, Director of Operations with the AHA’s Institute for Diversity and Health Equity, speaks with Laura Vail, Director, Health Equity at Cone Health and Dr. Alvin Powell, Chief Health Equity Officer at Cone Health.

In this conversation, Elisa Arespacochaga, vice president of the AHA’s Physician Alliance and interim executive lead for the AHA’s Institute for Diversity an Health Equity, talks with Essa Mohamed,

A list of podcasts from the AHA on health equity, diversity, and inclusions.

In this conversation, Elisa Arespacochaga, vice president of the AHA’s Physician Alliance and interim executive lead for the AHA’s Institute for Diversity an Health Equity, talks with Rita Carreon, deputy vice president for health, UnidosUS, about health inequities in Latinx communities with a focus on COVID-19 and the upcoming flu season.

The fifth in the series featured Dr. Estes talking with Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom, Senior Vice President of Community Health & Equity and Chief Wellness & Diversity Officer at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit and Michigan's First Surgeon General about health equity.

Access to potentially life-saving mammograms is more difficult for women who face with social determinants of health such as low-income, lack of transportation or the inability to take time off from work.

In this Advancing Health podcast about Cone Health and how it has pioneered educational sessions for its physicians about social and racial influences in health care, Darren Henson, Director of Operations with the AHA’s Institute for Diversity and Health Equity, speaks with three members of Cone Health’s leadership team: Laura Vail, Director of Health Equity, Dr. Alvin Powell, Chief Health Equity Officer and Paul Jeffrey, President of Cone Health’s Wesley Long Hospital. Cone Health, winner of the AHA’s 2020 Equity of Care Award, has been recognized for its innovative process and creative steps that hospitals and health systems can incorporate to achieve similar success in advancing health equity.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought increased attention to the issue of health care disparities. And it’s clear we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us to close the gaps.

In this Members in Action podcast featuring maternal and child health efforts, we are speaking with Dr. Ken Fawcett, Vice President and Peggy Vander Meulen, Manager of Community Health Programs of Spectrum Health Healthier Communities program.

In this podcast, we have Priya Bathija, vice president of Strategic Initiatives at the AHA and Dr.

Three hospitals and health systems are recognized for earning 2020 Carolyn Boone Lewis Equity of Care Awards.

During National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month in July, the AHA and its Institute for Diversity and Health Equity (IFDHE) developed several new resources to aid hospitals and health systems in reaching out to communities that lack adequate access to mental and behavioral health care.

Right before the COVID-19 outbreak occurred, AHA’s Institute for Diversity and Health Equity (IFDHE) convened more than 65 leaders, trustees and clinicians from rural hospitals across the country at AHA’s annual Rural Conference. We inquired about strategies for health equity in rural communities, as well as these communities’ most common areas of disparity or need.

July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. In this conversation, Lisa Hinton, Senior Health Equity and Value specialist with the AHA’s Institute for Diversity and Health Equity, speaks with a faith-based organization leader and two health care experts on ways they are broadening their health system’s approaches to improving community access to mental and behavioral health services in the Greater Bronzeville neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side.

In this Spotlight Feature interview, Jean Ricci Goodman, M.D., and Aparna Sharma, M.D., discuss the program’s development and how it’s designed to improve maternal and child health in Loyola’s surrounding communities.

COVID-19 has disproportionately affected communities of color throughout the nation, with minorities more likely to be infected and severely impacted by the virus. But its effect is more than physical.

By Elisa Arespacochaga and&nbs

Kimberlydawn Wisdom, M.D., M.S., IFDHE Board Chairperson, Senior Vice President, Community Health & Equity and Chief Wellness & Diversity Officer,Henry Ford Health System, Detroit answers questions regarding innovative solutions for delivering mental and behavioral health care services