In an effort to eliminate health disparities, Louisiana Healthcare Connections is encouraging COVID-19 vaccinations, advancing equity in healthcare, and offering provider education during National Minority Health Month in April.
Minority Health Month is a month-long observance meant to highlight the importance of improving the health of minority communities by reducing health disparities and working toward achieving health equity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), health disparities are preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, violence, or opportunities to achieve optimal health that are experienced by socially disadvantaged populations.
Data shows the COVID-19 pandemic has had a greater impact on communities of color. According to the CDC, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, and Alaska Native persons in the United States experience higher rates of COVID-19-related hospitalization and death compared with non-Hispanic White populations. The theme for National Minority Health Month 2022 is Give Your Community a Boost! This year’s theme focuses on the importance of getting your COVID-19 vaccinations and booster. COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are the strongest tools available to end the COVID-19 pandemic in our communities.
“Having just been awarded by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for Distinction in Multicultural Health Care, Louisiana Healthcare Connections has been a strong proponent in reducing healthcare inequities, especially within the Medicaid population it serves,” Dana Lawson, MD, vice president of population health and clinical operations at Louisiana Healthcare Connections.
Louisiana Healthcare Connections is also offering educational opportunities to their healthcare partners with a spring educational series featuring esteemed healthcare experts from across Louisiana. With topics ranging from COVID-19 vaccinations to improving outcomes for patients with diabetes, the lunch and learn series helps medical professionals receive the latest information and the tools they need to provide equitable care in their practices, plus continuing medical education (CME) credit.
“Many racial and ethnic minority groups have experienced systemic racism and discrimination, specifically in the medical setting, causing distrust in the healthcare system,” said Lawson. “It’s so important to re-establish trust in the medical professionals serving our communities, so we work with our providers to rebuild the trust that is critical to eliminating disparities in healthcare and ensuring our members receive the highest quality of care they deserve.”
It is also important to receive medical and COVID-19 information from trustworthy sources like local physicians, the CDC, and the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH).
“We are encouraging everyone to take the advice of the CDC and LDH and get the COVID-19 vaccines as well as available boosters to help stop the spread of this virus,” stated Jamie Schlottman, Louisiana Healthcare Connections CEO and plan president. “Especially during April’s Minority Health Month, we are continuing our proactive approach to encouraging and incentivizing COVID-19 vaccinations.”
For more information, including information debunking myths about COVID-19, visit www.louisianahealthconnect.com/communityboost.