The Chartis Group, a leading healthcare advisory and analytics firm, together with NAHSE, a non-profit association that promotes the advancement and development of Black healthcare leaders, today released a comprehensive report providing guidance for hospitals, health systems, and healthcare organizations to promote social justice and reduce health disparities in their communities.
"The work of addressing systemic racism in healthcare is not new, but the global pandemic has exposed this public health crisis in a way that will require organizations to take measurable action," said LaTonya O'Neal, Principal, The Chartis Group. "We are proud to partner with NAHSE to release this report that discusses the important role Black leaders play in advancing the moral imperative for health systems to reduce health disparities and advance social justice."
The report, Leading While Black: Addressing Social Justice and Health Disparities, finds that only 10 percent of hospital C-suite positions are filled by Black leaders, while Black leaders fill just 6 percent of common healthcare C-suite positions such as Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operations Officer, Chief Medical Officer, and Chief Nursing Officer. However, the important work of advancing the issues facing Black communities is not the burden of Black leaders alone. It requires commitment throughout the entire healthcare enterprise, including the board. The report also includes an assessment tool to help organizations understand their current level of commitment, as well as provides practical next steps for moving the needle toward social justice. Key actions include:
- Choose and support healthcare executives who are explicitly committed to ensuring equitable access and quality of care to all patients.
- Develop metrics focused on disparities that identify the root cause of the issues and measure progress made in addressing them.
- Commit to addressing the root causes for health disparities in the communities that organizations serve.
- Recognize the financial implications of not investing in programs to reduce healthcare disparities.
"NAHSE was founded on the commitment to promote Black healthcare leaders and elevate the quality of healthcare services rendered to minority and underserved communities," Cynthia Washington, Interim Executive Director, NAHSE, said. "We are thrilled to release this report with Chartis to ensure healthcare organizations have actionable approaches for making measurable and sustainable progress toward a more equitable future."
For more information, please visit Health Equity (chartis.com).
