The Chartis Group and National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE) Partner to Address Health Disparities

Together, Chartis and NAHSE created a framework, through research and insights from prominent Black healthcare leaders, that healthcare organizations can use to promote social justice and reduce health disparities in their communities.

News provided by

The Chartis Group

May 25, 2021, 09:26 ET

CHICAGO, May 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chartis Group, a leading healthcare advisory and analytics firm, together with NAHSE, a non-profit association that promotes the advancement and development of Black healthcare leaders, today released a comprehensive report providing guidance for hospitals, health systems, and healthcare organizations to promote social justice and reduce health disparities in their communities.

"The work of addressing systemic racism in healthcare is not new, but the global pandemic has exposed this public health crisis in a way that will require organizations to take measurable action," said LaTonya O'Neal, Principal, The Chartis Group. "We are proud to partner with NAHSE to release this report that discusses the important role Black leaders play in advancing the moral imperative for health systems to reduce health disparities and advance social justice."

The report, Leading While Black: Addressing Social Justice and Health Disparities, finds that only 10 percent of hospital C-suite positions are filled by Black leaders, while Black leaders fill just 6 percent of common healthcare C-suite positions such as Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operations Officer, Chief Medical Officer, and Chief Nursing Officer. However, the important work of advancing the issues facing Black communities is not the burden of Black leaders alone. It requires commitment throughout the entire healthcare enterprise, including the board. The report also includes an assessment tool to help organizations understand their current level of commitment, as well as provides practical next steps for moving the needle toward social justice. Key actions include:

Choose and support healthcare executives who are explicitly committed to ensuring equitable access and quality of care to all patients.
Develop metrics focused on disparities that identify the root cause of the issues and measure progress made in addressing them.
Commit to addressing the root causes for health disparities in the communities that organizations serve.
Recognize the financial implications of not investing in programs to reduce healthcare disparities.

"NAHSE was founded on the commitment to promote Black healthcare leaders and elevate the quality of healthcare services rendered to minority and underserved communities," Cynthia Washington, Interim Executive Director, NAHSE, said. "We are thrilled to release this report with Chartis to ensure healthcare organizations have actionable approaches for making measurable and sustainable progress toward a more equitable future."

For more information, please visit Health Equity (chartis.com).

About The Chartis Group
The Chartis Group® (Chartis) provides comprehensive advisory services and analytics to the healthcare industry. It brings critical thinking and deep industry experience paired with cutting-edge data, analytics, and technology to deliver #NextIntelligence. With an unparalleled depth of expertise in strategic planning, performance excellence, health analytics, informatics and technology, digital and emerging technologies, clinical quality and operations, and strategic communications, Chartis helps leading academic medical centers, integrated delivery networks, children's hospitals, and healthcare service organizations achieve transformative results and build a healthier world. Chartis has offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, New York, Minneapolis, and San Francisco. For more information, visit www.chartis.com.

About the National Association of Health Services Executives
NAHSE is the premier professional membership society for Blacks in healthcare management. NAHSE functions to improve the health status, economic opportunities, and educational advancement of the communities it serves. NAHSE is committed to the Association goals by providing: professional programs/workshops, student case competition and educational programs, job bank, mentoring programs, scholarships, fellowship opportunities, community service projects, health policy, and expanding business contracting opportunities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the organization has 30 affiliated chapters in the United States.

SOURCE The Chartis Group