Technology and data are now at the heart of healthcare, bringing untold possibilities for both narrowing and widening health equity gaps. Technology has the potential to revolutionize every aspect of healthcare—yet there is also a risk that it will unintentionally deepen long-standing injustices among vulnerable populations.
As the industry’s only value-based PBM, and the most clinically-advanced, EmpiRx Health is unwavering in our focus on leveraging new technologies and utilizing tailored population health management to care for patients equitably and proactively. We’re a proud member of the Techquity for Health Coalition, a collaboration between the HLTH Foundation, Ipsos, and industry leaders focused on equitable health technology, whose mission is to assimilate health equity considerations into healthcare technology innovation and data practices across the industry.
Earlier this year, the coalition deployed the first-ever survey on how the healthcare industry is prioritizing equity within digital health design. The goal of the research was to measure overall awareness of techquity, and to explore what actions organizations are taking to integrate the principle into their products and processes. Over 200 healthcare leaders responded, providing a comprehensive overview of the state of techquity across the industry; some highlights from the survey include:
- About two-thirds of respondents are doing something today to try to address health equity, and/or techquity; the remainder say that a lack of knowledge, commitment, or resources stands in the way.
- Efforts to increase the user-friendliness of healthtech, developing community-based partnerships, and efforts to provide awareness and educational materials are popular tactics, as are initiatives that support rural and BIPOC communities.
- The industry isn’t sure whether its techquity efforts are successful, and recognizes that current industry measurements/metrics are only somewhat effective. There is also widespread belief that an economic recession is likely to have a significant impact on techquity investments.
- The industry needs more champions for equity/techquity embedded at leadership levels—and more importantly, leaders equipped with adequate decision-making authority to effect change.
“In order to truly adopt techquity in healthcare, we must evolve from understanding into action,” says Jaime Dictenberg, EmpiRx Health Chief Marketing & Experience Officer, and member of the Techquity for Health coalition. “Within organizations, a top-down approach is essential for ensuring techquity becomes ingrained in our corporate policies and practices. Just as DE&I efforts are becoming part of our universal language and behavior, techquity must also be integrated in our very DNA. Only then can we create a truly equitable technological landscape in healthcare and beyond.”
Analysis of the research is featured within the State of Techquity in 2023 white paper, available here.
