MHA’s strategic plan promotes health equity and works to combat disparities. MHA’s member-led Health Equity Task Force addresses social determinants of health, and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Group is charged with supporting diversity and inclusion in the hospital and health system workforce.

Inequities in access to health care, as well as in the quality and outcomes of care, are detrimental to the health of our whole community. As hospitals work to address social needs of individual patients and challenges in our communities, it’s clear that access to better housing, food, and transportation is crucial to people’s ability to become healthier. In our journey toward health equity, MHA leans on its mission, “To advance health care across our state and the health of all Marylanders.”


Events 

Managing Patient Bias and Requests for Provider Concordance and Reassignment

 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Webinars

MHA and the Maryland Healthcare Education Institute (MHEI) are partnering to offer free webinars focused on diversity, equity and inclusion for MHEI And MHA members. The first of the webinars, How to Recognize and Respond to Microaggressions, is Feb. 15, and registration is open:

 

Health Equity Advisory Committee Meeting Dates 

  • April 26 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
  • June 22 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
  • August 17 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
  • October 26 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
  • December 13 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

 


Work Groups and Task Forces 

Health Equity Advisory Committee | Roster

The Health Equity Advisory Committee focuses on improving workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion, and increasing health equity for all Marylanders. The Committee will support fieldwide efforts to build cultural competency to deliver excellent patient care and address clinical inequalities contributing to outcome differences. They aim to understand and improve social determinants of health, hospital culture, communication with marginalized communities, and health policy.

Meeting Material

 

Birth Outcomes Accountability Work Group

Physicians, hospital executives, academic, and other leaders in the maternal and child health field in Maryland come together in the Birth Outcomes Accountability Work Group to improve maternal health equity. The group reviews data, shares best practices and recommends strategies to address barriers to maternal health equity.

Managing Patient Bias Toolkit

Managing Patient Bia Toolkit



Click here for resources to help hospitals manage patient bias and requests for provider concordance.


Resources

Birth Equity
The Maryland Patient Safety Center and the Maryland Hospital Association have partnered to create educational tools for non-obstetric providers to address the substantial disparity in maternal morbidity rate for Black birthing people in Maryland. This effort to help providers and patients recognize early warning signs and identify and mitigate their biases will amplify the implicit bias training and expansion of perinatal resources throughout the state.