National health care groups create health disparities initiative

Five national health care organizations announced this week that they would work together to address racial and ethnic disparities in health care (Source: “National groups unite to target health disparities,” American Medical News, Aug. 15, 2011).

The American Hospital Association, the National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems, the Association of American Medical Colleges, the American College of Healthcare Executives and the Catholic Health Association of the United States are collaborating on the Equity of Care initiative.

The goals of the initiative are to grow diversity in hospital and health system leadership and increase cultural competency training in medical schools, hospitals and other health care institutions. The groups also are encouraging more collection of data on patients' race, ethnicity and language to better identify where disparities exist.