Summary of Promising Programs to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities

researched and compiled by Eric Jacobson, Sarah McCloskey, Erin Kennedy, and Michele Sloan
originally published in 2004

Other Sources | Health Conditions | System-wide Inerventions | Specific Ethnic Groups

Creating a Healthier Workplace

last updated March 14, 2008

National Business Group | Verizon | Pfizer

Background
According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, within the next ten years over 40 percent of the workforce will comprise individuals in racial and ethnic minority groups. For big business, an unhealthy workforce results in less productivity. Because of the growing number of minorities working in businesses today, coupled with the fact that racial and ethnic health disparities exist despite insurance status, big businesses are gaining more of an incentive to aid in the effort to eliminate disparities. The effect of health disparities on business is a relatively new development; therefore, few initiatives have been implemented to aid in eliminating the problem. Currently, most action on this topic has been in educating corporations and business owners about the presence of racial and ethnic health disparities and the possible implications they could have in business in the years to come.*

*Office of Minority Health A Business Case for Eliminating Health Disparities
www.omhrc.gov/templates/browse.aspx

National Business Group on Health

Health Disparities Initiative – The main goals of this initiative is to inform employers of the impacts health disparities can have on their business, educate employers on how to best purchase group insurance to satisfy the needs of a diverse workforce, and to serve as a link between communities and business. To date, this initiative has started programs that make employers collect data from minority employees on health and created an on-line resource for employers who wish to become more informed on the topic. In addition, they have created an Employer Toolkit, which provides employers with strategies to reduce health disparities. Strategies include things such as addressing the language barrier. Furthermore, members of the Business Group can get the toolkit and other resources on CD-ROM. www.businessgrouphealth.org/prevention/disparities.cfm

Verizon Communications

Verizon is one of the world’s leading communication providers. Not only do they serve a diverse cliental, but they employ over 200,000 people, and 33 percent of these employees are minorities. Following recommendation of the HHS and the IOM, Verizon has instituted a plan in which they rank the major healthcare providers to Verizon employees based on their awareness of disparities in health care and is equipped with the data and the cultural competency tools in order to better the health care of their minority employees. In addition, Verizon provides disparity education information through their employee newsletter and created five employee resource groups that focus on minority groups and partner with the health-management teams to help promote well-being. Furthermore, Verizon has become a leading company in working with employer-led groups to eliminate disparities as well as through promoting an Employer Toolkit, which collects information on racial and ethnic health through the National Business Group on Health. While Verizon is not trying to create a diverse healthcare workforce, they are trying to ensure that minorities in the workforce are not treated unfairly. content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/reprint/24/2/421.pdf

Pfizer

Working to End Health Disparities – Pfizer, as one of the world’s fastest growing pharmaceutical companies, also addresses public policy issues in order to create effective medicines and get them to patients in the most efficient manner. In order to aid in reforming health care, Pfizer has become a corporate leader dedicated to eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities. Pfizer has partnered with many businesses and other organizations to not only aid underserved communities and the uninsured in obtaining health care, but it also has partnered with businesses to help in educating businesses on the importance of a healthy and diverse workforce. This report outlines the initiatives that Pfizer has sponsored or partaken in to eliminate disparities in many areas of health care. www.pfizer.com/pfizer/subsites/corporate_citizenship/health_disparities.pdf

For more information, e-mail Eric Jacobson or call him at 302-831-1711.