SEATTLE — Outcomes and research have shown that certain populations are not served equitably by the healthcare system in the U.S.
“There are underserved, marginalized populations for whom the access, the experience and outcomes are significantly different than majority populations,” said Dr. Nwando Anyaoku, chief health equity officer at Providence Swedish.
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted inequities even more, and Providence Swedish has taken action to address those.
“Providence Swedish made a decision that they needed a clinical leader to really focus on the way that our healthcare was being experienced and received by the populations we serve,” Dr. Anyaoku said.
Health inequities are different populations having different outcomes, and those different experiences and outcomes of healthcare are not a function of biology.
“Really, it’s not a biological issue,” Dr. Anyaoku said. “It’s an issue of other societal inequities.”
For example, pregnancy and birth outcomes are five to six times worse for Black and Indigenous birthing people compared to Caucasians.
“Even for African Americans at higher socioeconomic status, they still experience some of the inequities,” Dr. Anyaoku said. “They really are a function of historic structural racism in our society.”
Swedish is working to understand the challenges and data, as well as taking steps to improve access to care, how care is experienced and outcomes. This includes partnering with community-based organizations, providing Cultural Navigators from the LatinX, transgender, Somali, African American and other communities, and ensuring services are available in these communities.
The Swedish Cancer Institute works with the mobile mammogram unit to target specific populations to increase breast cancer screening rates. Swedish also works with community partners like Cierra Sisters, an organization dedicated to educating and empowering Black and African American women and families around breast cancer and other types of cancer.
“We go out to the community where those communities live and try to improve access,” Dr. Anyaoku said.
To learn more about health equity and Swedish’s efforts, visit the Swedish website.
Sponsored by Providence Swedish. Segment Producer Suzie Wiley. Watch New Day Northwest at 11 a.m. weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.