The Department of Population Health Sciences hosted its latest roundtable, "Paying for Equity: Can We Address Healthcare Disparities Through Payment Reform?" on March 2, 2022. The event provided a platform for public health experts to highlight the need for interventions that can support both providers and underserved populations.
Dr. Dhruv Khullar, assistant professor of population health sciences and medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine, moderated the conversation. His research focuses on value-based care, health disparities, and medical innovation.
He was joined by three expert guests. Dr. Dana Gelb Safran, president and chief executive officer of National Quality Forum; Dr. J. Michael McWilliams, Warren Alpert Foundation Professor of Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School; and Dr. Laurie Zephyrin, vice president for advancing health equity at Commonwealth Fund, brought their own unique perspectives to the conversation.
During the hour-long panel, the speakers discussed the impact of the Accountable Care Organization REACH (Realizing Equity, Access, and Community Health) Model, the intentionality of using quality measures to determine disparities even with a lack of clear current federal standards, and integration of social risk into payment models. While there are many hurdles to overcome in addressing disparities, the panelists were optimistic about the opportunity to create significant changes and better care for historically underserved populations.
The Population Health Sciences Roundtable is a quarterly event focusing on conversations around public health issues. Speakers include notable academics, physicians, and policy experts. The next event will be held in May 2022.
- Highlights