Children's Hospital Colorado

Health Equity in Primary Care (S5:E19)

Systemic racism is a crisis that daily impacts our patients and the communities in which we as pediatricians practice medicine. As healthcare providers, it is our responsibility to uphold values of justice, inclusion and equity as we serve our patient families as child advocates.

Listen to pediatric experts discuss health equity, health disparities and gaps of inclusion and equity in hospitals and clinics.

In this episode, Robert Franklin II and Brandi Freeman, MD, join us to discuss what health equity is and the challenges that must be navigated in addressing health disparities, including understanding gaps of inclusion and equity in our hospital and clinics as a crucial first step in ensuring health justice for our patients, families and colleagues.

Dr. Freeman and Robert work together for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Children’s Hospital Colorado. Robert serves as the Program Manager and Dr. Freeman as the Associate Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Department of Pediatrics. Dr. Freeman is also Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

In this episode, our experts discuss:

  • The definitions of health equity and systemic racism in the healthcare system
  • Barriers to addressing policies and systems that contribute to health disparities
  • How race may play a factor in the quality of care patients receive
  • The importance of creating opportunities for staff to learn and grow in their understanding of diversity, equity and inclusion
  • Advice for advancing health equity in your own practice

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