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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Billy R. Thomas, MD, MPH, College of Medicine Center for Diversity Affairs; Department of Neonatology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham St., Mail Slot 625, Little Rock, AR 72205, (501) 686-7299, thomasbillyr@uams.edu, Nancy E. Dockter, BA, Office of Community-Based Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, 4301 W. Markham St., Mail Slot 820, Little Rock, AR 72205, Hosea W. Long, MA, Office of Human Resources, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham St., Mail Slot 564, Little Rock, AR 72205, Creshelle R. Nash, MD, MPH, Division of General Internal Medicine; Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health Department of Health Policy & Management;, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham St., Mail Slot 820, Little Rock, AR 72205, Eduardo R. Ochoa, MD, College of Medicine; Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 800 Marshall, Mail Slot 900, Little Rock, AR 72202, Willa B. Sanders, MPA, Office of the Dean, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, 4301 W. Markham St., Mail Slot 820, Little Rock, AR 72205, Carla C. Sparks, BS, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health Department of Health, Office of Community-Based Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, 4301 W. Markham St., Mail Slot 820, Little Rock, AR 72205, M. Kate Stewart, MD, MPH, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, Office of Community-Based Public Health, Department of Health Policy & Management, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham Street, Slot 820, Little Rock, AR 72205, and H. Otis Tyler, MS, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham St., Mail Slot 522, Little Rock, AR 72205.

The significant contribution of healthcare provider-, organizational-, and system-level factors to ethnic and racial health disparities is now recognized by many in the healthcare arena. A growing body of scientific literature, as well as the IOM report, Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care, charges healthcare providers and institutions to respond forcefully to this grave problem. Institutional inertia and insensitivity can create resistance to this being made a priority. However, those working within a healthcare organization may act as a catalyst for change.

In early 2005, a racially and ethnically diverse group of faculty, administrators, and staff at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) formed an ad hoc taskforce to strategize on how to engage top administrators and others at the university on these critical issues: cultural competency in education, practice and training; recruitment and retention of minority faculty and students; and quality of and disparities in care provided at UAMS. The group identified as the first step an institutional audit relative to these domains. Once the taskforce's goals were clear, they were articulated in a memo to the UAMS Chancellor and at subsequent meetings with him.

The Chancellor has given formal endorsement of the taskforce's aim of addressing health care disparities at UAMS and is recruiting others to the taskforce to broaden campus-wide representation. In development is a pilot study to measure impacts on patient satisfaction from improved language assistance services at Emergency and Labor and Delivery departments, OB/GYN clinic, and hospital telephone services for callers with limited English proficiency.

Progress in this effort so far is attributed to: 1) diverse core group of manageable size, stable membership; 2) good communication in core group: trust, confidentiality, respect; 3) thoughtful analysis and deliberation about goals and objectives; 4) sensitivity to political realities within the institution and public image; 5) leveraging influence of like-minded individuals in key positions; 6) seeking support of top administrators before moving forward; 7) careful framing of message: a. response to national call to eliminate health and health care disparities, changing demographics and federal mandates; b. institutional opportunities; 8) short- and long-term commitment to do the work; 9) flexibility, having a plan B.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Describe how faculty and staff at an academic medical center can lead an effort for addressing health care disparities at their institution.
• Articulate strategies for organizing a taskforce at an academic medical institution to focus on issues of cultural competency, minority recruitment and disparities in care.
• Define key elements in the process of engaging top administrators at an academic medical institution around the goal of eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities.

Keywords: Access to Health Care, Health Disparities

Related Web page: N/A

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: N/A

Any relevant financial relationships? No