Value Initiative Issue Brief 3: Connecting the Dots: Value and Health Equity

How are value and health equity connected? The best way to examine the connection between health equity and value is to start by understanding health equity. Health equity is achieved by providing care that does not vary in quality by personal characteristics such as gender, ethnicity, geographic location and socioeconomic status. Therefore, achieving health equity requires a concerted effort to increase opportunities to be healthier for everyone, including those for whom obstacles are the greatest. Research has shown that improvements in health equity can provide tremendous value to patients, hospitals and the health care delivery system. And, hospitals and health systems are employing a number of approaches to improve health equity and promote value.