Health equity means everyone should have a fair chance to be as healthy as possible. This means no one should be held back because of their social position or other reasons. But there are still barriers like racism, poverty, and not having good medical care that cause differences in health. For example, doctors sometimes underestimate how good life is for people with disabilities. This leads to worse care. Also, LGBTQ+ people often face discrimination, which can lead to homelessness and trouble getting health services.
Healthcare systems have a hard time making equity real. This is mainly because of bias in organizations and not fully understanding the causes of health gaps. One big problem is that people don’t have a common language or plan to work together on equity. Also, many organizations don’t focus enough on including everyone and equal treatment, which slows down progress.
Engineering and technology help reduce health gaps by making medical care better and easier to get. One example is from the University of Washington’s College of Engineering. Their Institute for Medical Data Science works with the School of Medicine and Public Health to use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). These tools help doctors and nurses make faster and clearer decisions, which leads to better patient care. This depends on using medical data well to avoid delays and mistakes, especially for people in under-served groups who need better coordination.
Engineering education now includes AI and ML topics. This helps train future workers to make technology that helps healthcare and supports equity goals. The University of Washington offers many certificates and degrees in AI to prepare students for real healthcare challenges.
Public policy guides how technology is used fairly and responsibly in healthcare. Policies set rules for data privacy, money for technology systems, how services are paid for, and programs to help communities. They affect how healthcare groups can add new technology without making existing problems worse.
Public health is linked to things like education, housing, and income. So, many policies focus on these bigger issues to build healthier communities. One example is the Cooperative Extension Framework for Health Equity and Well-being (CEFHEW). It combines science, technology, engineering, math (STEM), and public health to fight health gaps in communities and policy. This program is supported by federal laws like the Hatch Act and Agricultural Research Extension Act. It helps with education especially in rural and underserved areas.
By working together, engineers and policymakers can build infrastructure, like broadband internet, that is needed for digital health tools to work well everywhere.
Not everyone in the U.S. has equal access to digital health technology. The COVID-19 pandemic showed that relying on internet websites, such as those for vaccine appointments, can leave out people who don’t have good internet or don’t know how to use digital tools well. Researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health created the Digital Health Care Equity Framework (DHEF). This plan suggests including equity at every step of making digital health tools—from design to checking how they are used.
The framework says it is important to involve patients, caregivers, and community leaders in designing these technologies. This helps make sure technology fits different cultures and abilities. Healthcare organizations should also offer other ways to get care, like phone systems, to help people who don’t have internet or find digital tools hard to use.
Medical practice managers and IT staff must understand these problems and make sure their technology does not cause new barriers. They should check digital tools with equity in mind and get feedback from the community to improve.
Besides technology and policy, healthcare groups need to change how they work to support equity. Research shows culture change means recognizing hidden biases, having diverse leaders, and making equity part of care values.
In daily work, this means redesigning clinical steps to include culturally relevant care and make access better for all patients. Nurses and staff are key to doing screenings and gathering data to find health gaps. Without this data, it is tough to make good plans or measure progress.
Technology helps by capturing data quickly and showing patterns to guide resources and decisions. Success depends on training workers to use and trust these tools while keeping equity goals in mind.
Artificial intelligence and automation help healthcare groups provide fairer care. AI-driven phone systems, like those from Simbo AI, improve front desk work by cutting wait times and removing language problems. This helps underserved patients get help faster.
These tools automate simple tasks, freeing staff to spend more time with patients. For example, automatic phone systems can book appointments, refill prescriptions, or do basic health checks. This means all patients get quicker responses, no matter their background.
Also, AI can spot patients who might be at risk because of social or health reasons. It alerts care teams to act right away. This method helps teams focus on patients who need the most help.
From an admin view, automating tasks lowers costs and mistakes. This frees money to support equity programs. IT managers must carefully choose and set up AI tools to fit the group’s goals and protect patient privacy and data.
To deal with health gaps using engineering and policy, the workforce needs skills from many areas. STEM and healthcare jobs are growing faster than many other jobs. The University of Washington has grown its AI and ML programs by 70%, offering flexible certificates and degrees. These train engineers, healthcare workers, and managers together.
Working together across schools and with local health groups helps students learn and invent useful ideas. Programs that mix public health, engineering, and social sciences build workers who understand both technology and policy.
Healthcare managers can also team up with universities and research centers to test equity projects and share data that help improve community health.
Even though technology has improved fast, reducing health gaps needs more than just digital tools. Public policies must tackle the social and economic causes behind these gaps. Healthcare groups also must change their culture and workflows to match equity goals.
Engineering advances like AI and ML offer new ways to help medical decisions and run clinics better. When combined with policies that improve internet access and fund community help, these tools can lower differences in healthcare quality and access.
For healthcare managers, owners, and IT staff, knowing how technology, policy, and equity work together is important. Focusing on digital systems, staff training, and teamwork can lead to care that is fairer, easier to get, and more reliable for everyone.
The UW College of Engineering is committed to creating a healthier and more just world by producing high-quality graduates and research, and engaging the community.
The curriculum integrates AI and ML content across all engineering units for undergraduates and offers specialized graduate programs to prepare students for modern challenges.
The Institute for Medical Data Science was launched to implement AI and ML in healthcare, aiming to improve clinical decisions and outcomes.
The Institute harnesses medical data to assist care teams in making faster, easier clinical decisions and studies operational models to enhance patient health.
The goal is to focus on health and engineering, enhancing collaboration between engineering and healthcare to develop innovative solutions.
The college has expanded its professional programs by 70%, launching new stackable graduate certificates and degrees to meet the evolving needs of the industry.
The college aims to deepen affiliations with other UW colleges and institutions to foster interdisciplinary collaborations and establish federal research centers.
The college seeks to strengthen connections with state and local governments, enhancing capacity for equitable collaboration on public-good initiatives.
The professional programs prioritize flexibility and practical skill development, enabling students to adapt to rapidly changing engineering fields.
The college aims to enhance partnerships with local health care organizations and explore innovative technologies in socio-economically challenged areas.
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