AHA Launches Health Equity Roadmap

WASHINGTON (March 29, 2022) — The AHA today announced the launch of the Health Equity Roadmap (equity.aha.org), a framework to support hospitals and health systems in their efforts to become more equitable organizations and dismantle structural barriers to health.

The Health Equity Roadmap, which builds on the goals established by the National Call to Action to Eliminate Health Care Disparities and AHA’s #123forEquity Pledge, is designed to meet hospitals and health systems where they are on their equity journey. It includes customized resources and action plans, among other support tools, to guide organizations throughout the transformation process.

 “The bottom line is this: Accelerating efforts to advance diversity, equity and inclusion is the right thing to do for patients, communities and organizations, and for the entire health care system,” said Rick Pollack, AHA president and CEO. “The Health Equity Roadmap is an important step as we strive to create a just society of healthy communities, where all individuals reach their highest potential for health.”

 When engaging with the Health Equity Roadmap, hospitals and health systems:

1. take the Health Equity Transformation Assessment;
2. follow tailored action plans and resources provided by AHA and based on each hospital’s unique circumstances;
3. and engage with the Roadmap’s virtual community of other hospitals undertaking similar work.

The Health Equity Roadmap is available for free to all AHA member hospitals.

Studies have shown that racial health inequities are associated with substantial annual economic losses nationally, including at least $10 billion in illness-related lost productivity and $200 billon in premature deaths. Eliminating health inequities also can lead to improved patient engagement in their care process and better health outcomes; decreased readmissions; and improved performance in value-based contracts through better care management, among other outcomes or improvements. 

More information on the Health Equity Roadmap is available at equity.aha.org.

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Contact:        Sean Barry, sbarry@aha.org
                      Marie Johnson, mjohnson@aha.org

About the American Hospital Association
The American Hospital Association (AHA) is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to the health improvement of their communities. The AHA advocates on behalf of our nearly 5,000 member hospitals, health systems and other health care organizations, our clinician partners – including more than 270,000 affiliated physicians, 2 million nurses and other caregivers – and the 43,000 health care leaders who belong to our professional membership groups. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides insight and education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends. For more information, visit the AHA website at www.aha.org.