Equity is a high priority for boards
There are several reasons why health equity is a high priority for boards:
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Promoting health equity is the right thing to do as it helps ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to be healthy and to access health care services.
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Health equity can help reduce health care costs and improve the overall efficiency of the health care system.
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Health equity is important for the overall well-being of communities and society. When there are large disparities in health outcomes and access to health care, it can lead to social and economic inequality, which can have negative impacts on communities and society as a whole.
Although boards are recognizing the importance of health equity, it is essential to examine how organizations function and how they can create more equitable, inclusive systems that support health outcomes.
These issues are getting increased attention and there are increasing calls for management to act (Sing, 2021). As a result, boards and organizations are starting to put equity high on their agendas and are including it in strategic and operational plans. A study that examined what Canadian charities and non-profits are doing to enhance their equity practices internally and externally found that EDI are highlighted in high-level policies where the risks of discrimination is high such as human resources policies, however, EDI are less likely to be highlighted in policies that deal with those the organization serves (Equitable Recovery Collective and Imagine Canada, 2023).
Featured resources
Governing for Health Equity Training
This Alliance for Healthier Communities course goes beyond diversity and inclusion and support boards in building more inclusive organizations that are better equipped to advance health equity at every level of their organization, in their communities and at a broader system level.
Learn more about the training
Shifting Power Dynamics: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the Non-profit Sector
This study, the first of its kind, explores what Canadian charities and non-profits are doing to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) within their organizations.
Learn more
Health Equity Assessment Tool (HEAT)
The UK Department of Public Health has produced a Health Equity Assessment Tool (HEAT) to systematically address health inequities and identify tangible actions that can be taken to reduce them (Government of UK, 2021). They also developed the Health Equity Audit Guide for Screening Providers and Commissions as further guidance alongside the HEAT (Government of UK, 2020).
Learn more about HEAT
Others develop specific tools to help organizations identify how they currently interact with community, their different models of service and what types of system transformation may be needed. One that some find useful is The Community Information Exchange Data Equity Framework which identifies six system design types.
- Predatory designed system
- Passive system
- Ally designed
- Saviour designed system
- Equity empowered
- Liberatory model
Learn more about the framework and how to use it as a strategic visioning tool