Advancing Health Equity in Our Community
Commitment to Creating Health Equity
Southeast Health’s mission is to promote healing, prevent disease, educate medicine’s brightest minds, and bring wellness and prosperity to the region. We believe high quality healthcare should be available to everyone who needs it regardless of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, or other factors.
We understand we come from different places, have different views on life, and bring with us different cultures and histories that may shape social determinants of health, the non-medical factors that influence health outcomes. The conditions where we are born, grow, live, work and age can shape our daily lives, but also our health.
At Southeast Health we want to create equity and be part of a solution that addresses both the quality of healthcare and the social determinants of health for those we serve. Outreach to diverse communities, improving access to care and communication, advocating for patients, and educating both our team and future physicians on social determinants of health are ways we are working to advance health equity in our community and beyond.
Understanding Social Determinants of Health
Getting to know our patients, helps us understand the non-medical factors that may impact well-being and overall health. Research shows social determinants can influence up to 80% of health. Our clinical teams work to understand each patients’ social determinants of health, and may ask questions about race, ethnicity, backgrounds, living situations, access to care, food, transportation, and more. We do this, not to pry, but to understand how we can best impact patient’s well-being and make a difference in their health.
Healthy People 20301, an initiative of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, groups social determinants of health into five domains. Learn how each area can create health disparities and find evidence based resources at Social Determinants of Health – Healthy People 2030 | health.gov
Helping Overcome Barriers to Care
When patients face life’s obstacles it may impact access to the care they need. Common barriers may include a lack of insurance coverage, a safe living environment, access to healthy food, transportation, prescription medicine, or the medical equipment needed for care. At Southeast Health we work with patients to overcome barriers like these, whenever possible. We partner with other healthcare organizations, agencies, and churches throughout the community to connect patients with the resources they need.
Improving Communication & Language Assistance
Communicating openly with your health care providers and entering your information in MyChart, can help us provide better care and improve health equity. By understanding who patients are beyond the exam room and identifying circumstances that might affect their health we aim to build a trusting relationship that will improve health, well-being, and access to care.
When English is not a patient’s primary language, we work to eliminate communication barriers though our language assistance program. Southeast Health uses medical interpreters to help patients understand their treatment plan, provide education, and communicate with providers.
MyChart, our patient portal is available in English and Spanish, the second most common language spoken in our region.
Community Outreach & Health Education
Southeast Health is an academic community-based health system, and our community outreach efforts include free health screenings and educational events throughout the year. Student groups and faculty members at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine actively engage in community service projects aimed at reducing health disparities in at-risk and economically disadvantaged communities. The Southeast Health Foundation also supports programs and services that improve health equity and access to care. Outreach efforts that aim to make a difference include:
- Southeast Health Foundation’s HeartSafe AED Grant Program
- Health Screenings at Older American’s Day
- Health Screenings and Education at Community Health Fairs
- Various School Outreach and Health Education Programs
- Opioid Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution Events
- Stroke, Heart Health, and Cancer Screening Awareness Educational Events
These efforts highlight some of the ways Southeast Health is working to create health equity and be part of a solution that addresses both the quality of healthcare and the social determinants of health. As a health system, we are focused on continuous improvement, and we use data to help us identify opportunities to improve care and close gaps that may exist. We understand our work is not yet done and we’ll keep striving to make healthcare more accessible and better for EVERYONE we serve.