Ian Weissman, DO, FACR, and Anand Narayan, MD, PhD, Chair and Vice-Chair, respectively, of the Patient- and Family-Centered Care Outreach Committee within the American College of Radiology® Commission on Patient- and Family-Centered Care, contributed this post.
Radiology is an integral part of the care team, but truly, it is patients who are at the heart of it all. Providing high-quality, patient- and family-centered care as a radiologist means incorporating the needs, wants and values of our patients and communities — and as key decision makers in their care process, patients play a vital role in building health communities and reducing healthcare disparities.
How can we leverage our role as radiologists to ensure equitable, patient-centered care for all?
Patients from racial/ethnic minority groups are less likely to trust healthcare systems due to exclusion and discrimination. Rebuilding that trust is central to addressing health inequities, and building awareness of health inequities and acknowledging historical injustices are crucial first steps. Additionally, education, research and collaboration with other organizations are other great strategies to consider.
We’re looking forward to discussing these strategies and more during the Radiology Health Equity Coalition’s new webinar series, Breaking Imaging Barriers: A Collaborative Approach to Advancing Health Equity in Medical Imaging.
We hope to bring our areas of expertise and unique life experiences to this important health equity initiative, and we aim to use our different talents to combat health disparities. Most importantly, we aim to center the voices of marginalized patient groups to design patient-centered solutions to reduce health inequities.
We hope that you participate in this important new health equity initiative through the Radiology Health Equity Coalition, and we look forward to engaging with you to develop strategies and solutions to advance health equity. Please join our webinar discussion on Wednesday, June 15, from noon to 1pm ET.
Please share your thoughts in the comments section below and join the discussion on Engage (login required).