Health Equity Summit focus: ‘Building quality care in our communities’

Meritus Health Leadership in Diversity and Equity Council holds event to highlight the role of diversity, equity, inclusion in healthcare

The Leadership in Diversity and Equity Council at Meritus Health recently held its first Health Equity Summit, “Building Quality Care in our Communities.”

The Oct. 23 summit focused on the efforts by various organizations throughout Maryland to address health disparities, foster diversity in the workforce, and provide responsive care that recognizes the different backgrounds and experiences of patients.

“The commitment to promote equitable practices and to eliminate disparities ultimately results in the core work of improving quality and patient safety,” said Chante Richardson, Ph.D., MBA, the associate dean of health equity, diversity and inclusion at the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine, which is set to open in 2025.

High-quality and equitable healthcare plays a pivotal role in achieving health equity, Richardson said.

“It is crucial for healthcare providers to address systemic, avoidable, predictable, and unjust differences in access, treatment, and outcomes among individuals and populations,” she said.

The summit was meant to facilitate collaborative learning among diverse professionals, speakers, and presenters, enabling the exchange of innovative ideas and recommendations, fostering collaborations, and guiding future initiatives to create a society where everyone can lead a healthy life.

The day’s objectives included catalyzing systemic change for diversity, equity, and inclusion in healthcare, exploring actionable strategies to tackle health disparities, and building a cohesive community to address disparities in care.

To learn more about Meritus’ efforts at diversity, equity and inclusion, visit www.meritushealth.com/DEI.