Connecticut Hospital Association Partners With NAACP, Makes Other Efforts To Reduce Racial Health Disparities

Main Category: Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP
Also Included In: Primary Care / General Practice;  Public Health
Article Date: 28 Apr 2009 - 5:00 PDT

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The Connecticut Hospital Association's board of trustees recently approved a plan that aims to reduce racial health disparities, the Meriden Record-Journal reports. Three main goals of the effort are to increase minority representation in hospital leadership, expand business opportunities with minority businesses and reduce barriers to health care, Leslie Gianelli, the association's director of communications and public affairs, said.

As part of the plan, CHA has partnered with the state chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to improve minority leadership opportunities on hospital boards and in other roles, and to support post-graduate training for hospital management positions. CHA plans to partner with other organizations in the future, Gianelli said.

The plan also aims to reduce disparities in treatment among minority populations experiencing disproportionately high incidences of premature births, low birthweight infants, asthma and diabetes. The plan also calls for improving Medicaid reimbursement rates and access to primary care services. Jennifer Jackson, the association's CEO, said the next step will be establishing measurable goals for their efforts (Kurz, Meriden Record-Journal, 4/26).

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