The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launched an “Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities.” This plan has five major goals: (1) expand access to care and insurance for racial and ethnic minorities, (2) strengthen the health workforce serving racial and ethnic minorities, (3) implement the CDC’s new Community Transformation Grants, focusing efforts on heart disease, childhood obesity, tabacco-related disease, maternal and child health, asthma, and flu, (4) advance disparity-related health research, and (5) “Increase the efficiency, transparency, and efficacy of HHS programs.” The HHS plans to assess progress biannually to ensure efficacy.
Specific strategies for achieving these goals include the recruitment and training of undergraduates in undeserved communities for careers in community health, public health, and biomedical research.pursue careers in medicine and as community health workers. The National Health Service Corps and the NIH already offer incentives for newly-trained health workers to begin there careers in regions lacking access to primary care practitioners (see NHSC loan repayment program), but there are relatively few scholarships or loan repayment programs available to students pursuing careers in Public Health. The act also purports to implement cultural competence education into health worker training. The act has already taken effect.
All five goals rely on funding, especially the recruitment of health workers from undeserved communities. Depending on the outcome of arguments in Washington, budget cuts may negatively impact this initiative.
If the plan succeeds in having even half of its intended effect, the health status of this country would improve significantly. Outside of financial concerns, what limitations do you foresee in carrying out this action plan?
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