For health equity veterans, it’s a movement, not a moment
SameSky Health Founder and CEO Abner Mason and Dr. Rishi Manchanda of HealthBegins discuss why it’s critical that we don’t waste this moment in the movement towards health equity.
The murder of George Floyd in 2020 sparked a national reckoning of structural racism across the US. The pandemic further highlighted the disparities in care when it comes to race. Together, these events have brought a renewed focus to equity.
Across industries and demographics, we’re seeing conversations take place that never have before. And for those who have been working for equity for years, this spark is a significant moment in a long-fought movement. The challenge? Ensuring we don’t squander it.
In a recent conversation between our Founder and CEO Abner Mason and Rishi Manchanda, MD, MPH of HealthBegins, the two discuss why this moment is so critical to progress towards health equity.
While currently a hot topic, health equity is one many people have been working towards for years. For them, this moment is part of a longer-term movement. Make no mistake, it’s great that these long-overdue conversations are taking place, but the moment will be lost if there isn’t more than talk. So how do we get there?
According to Dr. Manchanda, true transformation comes from structural change. Specifically, he says we need to overcome structural violence. Structural violence comes from social arrangements that put individuals and populations in harm’s way. They’re structural because they’re embedded in the political and economic organization of our world. They’re violent because they cause harm.
There is hope, says Dr. Manchanda. In his work with health plans, courageous leaders are beginning to emerge. To him, courage isn’t about having all the answers; rather, it’s being bold enough to ask the right questions and challenge long-standing norms. Working with plans to identify inequities within specific geographies, he looks for patterns and helps plans identify ways to more efficiently address them.
Learn more about the work Dr. Manchanda is doing to drive health equity in this conversation with our Founder and CEO Abner Mason.
Interested in hearing more? Be sure to follow SameSky Health on LinkedIn to view insightful conversations with other industry thought leaders in our new series, Under the Same Sky.