Learn how we are helping create a healthier future for everyone
Healthcare in the U.S. is unevenly distributed
The U.S. leads the world in many areas of healthcare innovation, but it also lags behind much of the industrialized world in improving care for some of its most vulnerable populations. Black, Latinx and Indigenous communities in the U.S. suffer tremendous healthcare disparities – a greater burden of illness, disability and mortality relative to other groups.
We have an opportunity to create a new future
Solving the problem of disparity in healthcare is one that will take engagement and action from across the healthcare industry. Everyone must work together to drive change, create equity and improve patient care.
Disparities in healthcare have existed for years
There are many contributing factors to healthcare disparities, from gaps in socioeconomic status to geography. These factors lead to unevenly distributed access to care and delivery of care that creates inequities throughout the healthcare continuum. The numbers can be staggering:
Birth
Black infants are twice as likely to die before their first birthday as white infants.
Motherhood
Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women.
Healthy living
Adults in minority groups, including Black, Native American and Mexican, experience tooth decay at a rate twice that of white adults.
Chronic disease
Black, Hispanic and Native American populations are more than 50 percent more likely to suffer from diabetes than white populations in the U.S.
Treatable conditions
Black people are 2 times more likely to be impacted by Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) than white people and among those patients are 3 times more likely to suffer amputation as a result.
The pandemic
Black, Hispanic and Native American populations are nearly 5 times more likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19 than white populations.
Featured partner story
Speaking up for health equity: a Philips designer sparks a new initiative in the quest for more inclusive design
In her personal life, Kelly Benton saw the devastation of COVID-19 firsthand and the disproportionate impact on BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) communities. Inside the Philips Experience Design team, she launched a call for action that harnesses Philips resources and influence to help disrupt racial health disparities and build a more equitable future.
Government, healthcare institutions, corporations and civic organizations all will have to play a role if we are to create a future that extends care to all communities.
The National Minority Quality Forum was founded in 1998 to address the critical need for strengthening national and local efforts to use evidence-based, data-driven initiatives to guide programs to eliminate the disproportionate burden of premature death and preventable illness for racial and ethnic minorities and other special populations.
The March of Dimes is a national, non-profit organization that was established in 1938. The mission of the foundation is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. The March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy so that every baby can have the best possible start.
MedShare is a humanitarian aid organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of people, communities and our planet by sourcing and directly delivering surplus medical supplies and equipment to communities in need around the world. MedShare helps increase health system capacity and drives sustainability by providing biomedical equipment training and service to healthcare organizations and medical professionals serving populations in need.
Together, let’s commit to creating change that will bring health equity to underserved communities in the US and around the world."
Vitor Rocha
Chief Market Leader, Philips North America
Creating a healthier future for everyone
Healthcare disparities have existed for years, but we have an opportunity to create a new future where all populations have access, information and support across all aspects of the healthcare continuum – from healthy living and prevention to diagnosis, treatment and home care.
See how Philips is partnering with health systems to solve other complex healthcare issues
Philips UK launches its ‘Reducing Healthcare Inequality and Enhancing the NHS’ research paper with recommended actions that could improve the health of the nation and reduce inequalities
To learn more about our work addressing health disparities, please contact: healthequity@philips.com
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By clicking on the link, you will be leaving the official Royal Philips Healthcare ("Philips") website. Any links to third-party websites that may appear on this site are provided only for your convenience and in no way represent any affiliation or endorsement of the information provided on those linked websites. Philips makes no representations or warranties of any kind with regard to any third-party websites or the information contained therein.
