America’s racial disparities are on full display in healthcare. Studies show that racial minorities, particularly Black Americans, have worse health outcomes than whites.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has shed light on the severity of these inequities. For example, a study published May 21 in Health Affairsfound that Black COVID-19 patients are nearly three times as likely to be hospitalized as their white counterparts. Additionally, an analysis published April 7 found that majority-black counties have reported nearly six times the rate of novel coronavirus-related deaths as majority-white counties.
In a June 16 webinar, hosted by The Leverage Network and Becker’s Healthcare, four leading healthcare executives discussed the current status of race in America, the racial inequalities that exist in healthcare, and what leaders can do to create change in their organizations.
The panelists were:
- Lloyd Dean, CEO of CommonSpirit Health (Chicago)
- Eugene Woods, president and CEO of Atrium Health (Charlotte, N.C.)
- Pamela Sutton-Wallace, senior vice president and regional COO of New York Presbyterian Hospital (New York City)
- Michellene Davis, executive vice president and chief corporate affairs officer of RWJBarnabas Health (West Orange, N.J.)
The discussion was moderated by Antionette Hardy-Waller, president and CEO of The Leverage Network, and Scott Becker, JD, founder and publisher of Becker’s Healthcare.
Here are five key points and quotes from the discussion: