HLTH Foundation Launches 'Techquity for Health' Coalition to Help Integrate Health Equity Standards into Healthcare Technology & Data Practices

– National Survey, Live Today, Will Benchmark Techquity in Healthcare Industry – 

NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- HLTH Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit of HLTH, Inc., today announced the formation of the Techquity for Health Coalition, with a mission to assimilate health equity considerations into healthcare technology innovation and data practices across the industry. Additionally, the Coalition simultaneously launched a broad national survey of techquity in healthcare, available here, with a call for healthcare leaders to participate as respondents in this important and unique industry benchmark.

The Coalition defines techquity as the strategic design, development, and deployment of technology to advance health equity, and encompasses the notion that technology can inhibit advancements in health equity if not implemented intentionally and inclusively.

"Technology and data analytics offer enormous promise to improve care access and quality, but also add new layers of consideration for health equity," said Janna Guinen, Executive Director of the HLTH Foundation, which established the Coalition with Ipsos Healthcare as a strategic research partner. "We urge healthcare leaders to participate in the techquity survey. With the continued digitization of healthcare, action is needed now to avoid further entrenchment of systemic inequities and outcomes disparities," she said.

The Coalition intends to develop and gain consensus around metrics, best practices and standards to operationalize techquity in healthcare, as well as monitor industry progress.

Findings from the survey will be announced at the ViVE 2023 event in Nashville, taking place March 26 - 29. The Coalition's research is supported by Amazon Web Services, EmpiRx Health, Epistemix, Hopelab, NTT DATA, Outcomes4Me, ResMed, Tegria, and VSP Vision Global Innovation Center.

Research efforts are guided by an Advisory Committee consisting of founding supporters and additional partners, including Ricky Y. Choi, MD, MPH, Stanford University School of Medicine; Grace Cordovano, PhD, BCPA, Enlightening Results, LLC; Burgess Harrison, MBA, National Minority Health Association; Tanisha D. Hill, MPH, Digital Health for Equitable Health Alliance; Pooja Mittal, DO, Health Net; Lorren Pettit, MS, MBA, CHIME; Kyu Rhee, MD, MPP, Aetna/CVS Health; and Andrea Werner, MSW, Bellin Health and Gundersen Health Systems.

"Techquity engages us in thinking and acting in a way where no person is left behind," said Andrea Werner, Chief Population Health Officer, at Bellin Health and Gunderson Health System, a Coalition Partner. "Leveraging the collective knowledge, diverse perspectives and experiences of the Techquity for Health Coalition will help us go further, faster to level the playing field and optimize technology for the people we serve."

"Techquity is not an individual- or consumer-level problem, but rather will require collaboration, transparency, inclusivity, and a commitment to organizational and systemic transformation," said Alexis Anderson, Principal, Ipsos Healthcare. "Our research over the next year, in addition to fielding a second survey, will include working with the Coalition to gather case studies and expert opinions in order to establish guidelines for a techquity practice healthcare," said Anderson.

Survey Link & Coalition Info
Take the National Techquity for Health Survey here. Learn more about the Techquity for Health Coalition and presentation of findings at ViVE 2023 here.

About HLTH Foundation
The HLTH Foundation promotes equity, inclusion and opportunity in healthcare, focusing on patients, healthcare professionals and startup founders. Its activities include operating CSweetener, a mentorship program helping to close the gender leadership gap in healthcare, and convening the Techquity for Health Coalition to integrate health equity considerations into health technology innovation. The Foundation also hosts mission-driven content, affinity meetups and campaigns at the annual HLTH and ViVE events through its Impact Programs. The HLTH Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit of HLTH, Inc. More information: hlthfoundation.org

Media Contact 
Allen Yesilevich
Head of Marketing and Community
HLTH, Inc.
(917) 892-4225
[email protected]

SOURCE HLTH Foundation