November 18, 2005

Eliminating health care disparities: Multicultural Advisory Committee established

Since 2002, when Boston Mayor Thomas Menino convened Boston hospital CEOs to explore the role the hospitals were playing in eliminating health care disparities, the MGH has taken a leadership role in addressing this issue that often prevents minorities from receiving equal access to and the same quality of care as white Americans. The MGH Committee on Racial and Ethnic Disparities — which was established by Peter L. Slavin, MD, president of the MGH — has made significant strides in examining these disparities and searching for solutions.

During the past year, the Patient Experience of Care subcommittee of the larger Disparities Committee has made several important recommendations to address issues faced by MGH minority patients. One recommendation was to establish a committee of community experts to help guide the MGH in its commitment to address disparities at all levels of the organization.

The MGH Multicultural Advisory Committee (below) was formed last fall by Slavin, who co-chairs the committee with Jeanette Ives Erickson, RN, MS, senior vice president for Patient Care Services and chief nurse. Members of the committee represent an array of organizations that promote ethnic and racial diversity throughout Boston — such as the Union United Methodist Church, Centro Latino, the Urban League and the Mattapan Community Health Center — as well as MGH staff members involved with hospital diversity efforts.

"Our goal in forming this council was to invite members of the community to give us feedback about our performance in addressing the very serious issue of health care disparities among minority groups," says Slavin. "We've asked these members to advise us on the experience of care from different minority communities, how the MGH is perceived as a provider and community member by minority communities, and to review our programs that aim to address disparities."

The committee has met quarterly in the past year and has assessed a variety of issues and programs that focus on areas that can contribute to the causes of disparities. Nakela Cook, MD, MPH, of MGH Cardiology, presented the results of a patient telephone survey she conducted last year with Karen Donelan, of the MGH Institute of Health Policy, that asked minority patients for feedback about their experiences at the hospital. Reflecting on the results of the survey, the committee decided to focus on the role that front-line staff play in making all patients feel welcome. At the most recent committee meeting, they heard a presentation from the Cancer Center about a project implemented to meet the needs of front-line and support staff. The committee will make recommendations for next steps in future meetings.

"Already this group has proven to be invaluable by giving us vital feedback about our programs that we might not have received from our internal audiences," says Ives Erickson. "We look forward to working with them even more closely as we continue our efforts to resolve the unacceptable disparities in care that minority patients experience — not just at the MGH but at hospitals across the country."