Health care disparities are differences in quality of health care that are not due to access-related factors or clinical needs and preferences and appropriateness of interventions. These differences would include the role of bias, discrimination and stereotypes at the individual (provider and patient), institutional and health system levels.
Health Equity is attainment of the highest level of health for all people. Achieving health equity requires valuing everyone equally with focused and ongoing societal efforts to address avoidable inequalities, historical and contemporary injustices, and the elimination of health and health care disparities.
The Foundation will sponsor and promote annual Health Disparities conferences for health care professionals to address the importance of access to health care for the underserved. The conferences will focus on health prevention and treatment and ways in which our country can build viable, healthy communities.
The Foundation is committed to funding community health initiatives that improve the health status of vulnerable populations.