Population Health Alliance Statement in Support of National Minority Health Month

The Population Health Alliance, the leading advocate for population health and workplace wellness, today issued the following statement in recognition of April as National Minority Health Month, an annual observance that seeks to raise awareness of the health disparities and unfavorable health outcomes that disproportionally affect African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans, Native American/American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders.

The Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH), created to improve the health of racial and ethnic minority populations, has embraced Prevention Is Power as the theme for this year’s observance.

“The Population Health Alliance is honored to add its voice to the many that support and recognize April as National Minority Health Month, as a significant way to acknowledge the health disparities and inequalities that exist in our nation which place a disproportionate burden in minority communities. In fact, the strive towards health equity has been one of PHA’s guiding principles in its advocacy for health care reform and for health care delivery transformation with a community-health focus.

“Our nation has made significant progress towards health equity, but racial and ethnic minorities still lag behind the general population in several key areas that lead to worse health outcomes, such as lack of preventive care, higher incidence of avoidable but serious illnesses and conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, various cancers, obesity, and hypertension, among others.

“While the factors that lead to health and health care disparities are multiple and complex – including access to quality care, language and cultural barriers – the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has reported data that shows that low income and minority populations on average receive poorer health care and experience higher rates of avoidable complications.

“The population health approach that PHA and its members espouse has proven to be an essential component of a comprehensive solution to these persistent disparities. Our members have devoted significant research and development to advance tools and strategies that emphasize prevention to address diabetes, cardiovascular disease, smoking cessation, obesity, and prevention in a culturally competent manner. These technological and programmatic solutions improve engagement of individuals in their care, enhance doctor-patient communication, increase medical adherence, help patients navigate the health care system, make prevention accessible and understandable and, overall, usher along an ongoing transformation that makes health care delivery safer, more effective, patient-centered and more equitable.

“We applaud the work that HHS is doing, and encourage not only our member companies but the health care industry as a whole to take stock of these unacceptable statistics and join forces to create a Nation free of health disparities.”

For more information visit http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov

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About the Population Health Alliance 
The Population Health Alliance (PHA) is a global trade association of the population health industry. Its more than 80 members represent stakeholders from across the healthcare delivery system that seek to improve health outcomes, optimize medical and administrative spend, and drive affordability. Through its robust advocacy, research and education initiatives, the PHA offers members a forum to advance shared learning and applied research to further innovation and establish best practices in the population health field. Visit http://www.populationhealthalliance.org to learn and get ready to attend the PHA Forum 2014, in Scottsdale, Arizona on December 10-12, 2014.