Press Release: Survey Suggests Health Care Workers are Ready for Change
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS CONTACT: Andrew Ricci ([email protected])
More than 82% of Health Care Professionals See Health Equity as Significant, yet Less Than Half are Confident the Current Health Care System Can Effectively Address Equity
-New Survey Suggests Health Care Workers are Ready for Change-
Boston, Mass. (October 25, 2023)—According to a new survey commissioned by the Rise to Health Coalition, more than 82 percent of respondents—all of whom work in the health care industry—said that health equity is very or somewhat significant in our health care system today. At the same time, less than half of respondents (43.08 percent) said they were either very or somewhat confident the current health care system can effectively address health equity.
“The data from this survey show that the overwhelming majority of health care workers view health equity as important but suggest that many see a gap between the status quo and what the future could be,” said Kedar Mate, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), a co-leader of the Rise to Health Coalition. “Even those who recognize health equity as a priority cannot make it happen on their own,” Mate added. “The Rise to Health Coalition was created to bring together individuals and organizations to advance health equity through coordinated and collective action to transform health care.”
The Rise to Health Coalition survey also found that a little more than half of the respondents (53.07 percent) said the most effective way to achieve health equity in our health care system is to address the social determinants of health, such as poverty, education, housing, and nutrition. A little more than half (51.5 percent) said that the greatest barrier to achieving health equity is the affordability of care.
“The Rise to Health Coalition survey results confirm that many health professionals are open to broadening the definition of 'health' to mean one’s overall quality of life,” said Michael McAfee, EdD, President and CEO of PolicyLink, a Rise to Health Coalition partner. “It is time to capitalize on this momentum to create a society that measures health not just by a lack of disease and illness, but by access to opportunities.”
The Rise to Health Coalition survey also found that nearly six in 10 respondents (58.64 percent) think noticeable improvements in health equity will take place within the next decade. While 63 percent of respondents agreed that their organization has done a successful job of effectively addressing health equity, 12.36 percent disagreed.
The Rise to Health Coalition commissioned the survey and OnePoll conducted it between August 4 and August 9, 2023. It surveyed 1,400 respondents employed at health care-related companies with over 10 employees.
About the Rise to Health Coalition
The Rise to Health Coalition is a national health equity initiative co-led by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), the American Medical Association (AMA), and other industry collaborators, including PolicyLink, that are on a mission to improve patient health outcomes—making health care better for all. The Coalition consists of members from across the health care system, including health care organizations and professionals, payers, pharmaceutical, research, and biotech organizations, and professional societies that are committed to taking specific actions on issues related to health care access, social and structural drivers of health, workforce diversity, and quality and safety of care. The Rise to Health Coalition receives funding support from Genentech, a member of the Roche Group; the Commonwealth Fund; the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), and the American Medical Association (AMA). Join the Coalition and learn more at www.RiseToHealthEquity.org.
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