Our organization and the programs to which the Foundation for Health Care Quality is home to are committed to promote health equity and addressing social need. To learn more about the specific actions each program is doing to support this work, please click on the program names below.
About Our Programs
Social Need and Health Equity
Overview:
In 2021, the Foundation for Health Care Quality, through the Bree Collaborative, developed a guideline framework for addressing social need and health equity in clinical spaces.
Social Determinants of Health and Health Equity Report
In 2022, the Foundation for Health Care Quality decided to turn our previous guidelines into collaborative action. In January 2021, the Foundation convened a Steering Committee of health and social sector experts from healthcare delivery systems, insurers, purchasers, public health agencies, and community advocates. A full list of Steering Committee members is available here.
The Steering Committee identified four priority areas for further work to develop reports including:
- Advancing Equity Report
- Social Need Screening Report
- Social Need Interventions Report
- Storing and Sharing Data Report
The Steering Committee has convened ad-hoc workgroups to address each priority area. Each workgroups met monthly though June 2023. Staring in August 2023, the Steering Committee meets monthly to support the implementation of the reports into practice.
Funding
The Foundation’s Social Need and Health Equity work is funded through a grant from the Washington Healthcare Forum in partnership with One Health Port. The Steering Committee will continue work through at least the end of 2023.
Bree Collaborative
The Bree Collaborative promotes working together to improve health care quality, outcomes, affordability, and equity. We strive to center health equity in our reports, implementation offerings and evaluation work. Please see examples of our work to promote health equity below:
Health Equity Action Collaborative
The Health Equity Action Collaborative (HEAC) is a space for people to learn and discuss implementing a quality improvement project that promotes equity within their organization. Individuals, teams, and organizations serving Washingtonians participate in the HEAC to receive support in developing a project plan that can be implemented within their organization. Organizations projects focus on a health topic that aligns with a Bree report guideline and addresses health equity in a way relevant to their work and selected topic. Participants attend monthly meetings from May-December to create their project plan; during this time, participants learn about quality improvement tools, receive technical assistance support, discuss health equity topics facing Washingtonians, and cultivate relationships with peers across the healthcare ecosystem (E.g., Clinicians, Clinics, Health Plans, Purchasers, and others.) Please visit our website here to learn more.
Washington Patient Safety Coalition
Health Equity, Stigma and Bias Workgroup
Our workgroup has been hard at work raising awareness of health inequity, stigma and bias, especially around mental health – writing blog posts, recording podcasts, and hosting safe tables to spread institutional knowledge. The workgroup will continue to spread resources and partner with NAMI Washington to spread the Stigma Free Pledge to reduce stigma against mental health.
Learn more about the workgroup here.
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