Reduce health disparities by promoting and delivering accessible, high quality, cost effective health care First Objective:
Develop, maintain, and utilize a database for health disparities by December 2003 | First Related Strategy - Convene an interdisciplinary committee to identify available data related to health disparities in SC (work with ORS and DHEC to create a database related to health disparities). | Second Related Strategy Compile an asset map of current programs that addresses health disparities at MUSC and in SC. | Third Related Strategy Develop and maintain a database for clinical decision-making related to Health Disparities: - Health issues for MUSC patients (by race, age, and gender);
- Health issues for South Carolinians.
| Fourth Related Strategy Convene an interdisciplinary committee to review the asset map and the data for redundant programs and gaps as well as make recommendations for decreasing the redundancy and filling gaps. | Second Objective:
Implement guidelines for clinical services addressing health disparities in underserved populations | First Related Strategy - Appoint an interdisciplinary committee to; a) develop criteria by which all clinical programs addressing health disparities can be assessed, and b) evaluate clinical services. | Second Related Strategy - Consider the following guidelines for evaluating current and future clinical programs addressing health disparities: - Clear rationale for each practice using clinical database.
- Establish academic/community advisory board.
- Strong academic focus, i.e. student training and/or research.
- Fiscally sound with multiple funding sources, e.g. disproportionate share, FFS, co-pay, grants, endowed chairs for clinical faculty, etc.
- Cost efficiency, e.g. telehealth, partner with FQHCs, coordinate MUSC’s programs, appropriate provider mix, etc.
- Interdisciplinary.
- On-going evaluation.
- Annual retreat of MUSC clinical services addressing health disparities in vulnerable populations.
| Third Related Strategy Evaluate MUSC’s disproportionate share and educational/training funds and adjust equitably to support the care of vulnerable populations with health disparities. | Third Objective :
Increase and sustain the diversity of all health care providers, faculty, and staff | First Related Strategy Work with community and diverse university employees to develop, implement, and maintain a plan for effective recruitment and retention of diverse faculty, health care providers, and staff. | Second Related Strategy Develop, implement, and maintain mentoring program at all levels for delivery of quality care. | Third Related Strategy Provide year one (1) travel support for minority faculty delivering clinical care to facilitate networking at national meetings. | Fourth Objective:
Foster culturally appropriate behavior in the provision of care First Related Strategy. Faculty, staff, and students document proficiency in cultural competency. | Second Related Strategy Implement a patient satisfaction survey that specifically addresses cultural competence. | Third Related Strategy Develop and implement plan to assure that all new faculty and staff have essential skills related to cultural competence and racism, and identifying/reporting cultural incompetence and racism. | Fifth Objective:
Inform elected officials about the need for clinical care related to health disparities. | First Related Strategy Identify key policy issues based on documented need from the clinical database. | Second Related Strategy Coordinate contacts with elected officials to foster state policies that increase access to and quality of health care related to health disparities. | Third Related Strategy Foster a statewide leadership council to develop, implement, and evaluate a plan to fund priority clinical care issues related to health disparities. |
Considerations
The construction and maintenance of the Health Disparities Database requires dedicated human and financial resources if it is to be used to help shape clinical decision making. This responsibility best rests with the current Center for Health Care Research in conjunction with the Office of Special Initiatives. It should be the goal of the health care team that all MUSC health care programs reflect the needs for addressing the issues of health disparities, that these programs be fiscally sound and that their activities are responsive to the identified roles of the academic health science center. It is imperative that MUSC reflect a very diverse health care staff and faculty. A plan will be identified and utilized for recruitment. The suggested goal would be to experience annual increases in the diversity of Faculty, health care providers, and staff by 5% until diversity reflects the diversity of the South Carolina population. To be successful, minority junior faculty and staff will have identified mentors who are highly placed and respected and some consideration must be made to provide travel support to attend at least one national meeting every year. Every single faculty member and staff should develop and / or maintain cultural competency. Orientation programs for all faculty, staff, and students in clinical areas will include training and expectations related to cultural competence and racism. For health care providers, the patient satisfaction survey should be completed for inpatients and outpatients as one means to help identify cultural competence of faculty, students and staff. Next-> First Goal- Health Disparities Work Group
Third Goal- Health Disparities Work Group
Fourth Goal- Health Disparities Work Group
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