Breaking barriers to health equity: Practical solutions to bridge operational gaps in healthcare access

Rohit Bhagwat, office managing principal and ESG lead, ZS talks about the key issues that, if addressed, can lead to better health outcomes for all. These would apply across markets at the individual organisation level, a healthcare sector level and an industrywide level. While visionary in intent, this would necessitate the cooperation and collaboration of all stakeholders to achieve the ideal outcomes

Health equity can be defined as everyone having a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. While theoretically this applies at large, there is still ground to cover for marginalised communities and sections across the world. Against the backdrop of COVID-19, these disparities have become more profound, igniting heightened public interest in social equity and catalysing a renewed focus on the matter.

Healthcare access, characterised by the ease with which individuals can secure health services, is shaped by factors spanning social, economic, geographical and systemic domains. The inequalities ingrained in healthcare access stand as formidable obstacles in the pursuit of health equity, precipitating unequal health outcomes among certain demographic groups across the world.

In the quest to achieve health equity, it is paramount to tackle barriers entrenched in both private and public sectors which are perpetuating health disparities. Various strategies may be devised to address these challenges. These can include standardisation in patient data collection and health outcome measures, bolstering Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) that undertake health outreach initiatives targeting underserved populations and fostering cross-sector dialogue and exchange of information to identify and address health disparities. For it to be successful, it is essential to recognise that health equity must be sustained over the long haul for tangible outcomes.

This article aims to evaluate key issues that, if addressed, can lead to better health outcomes for all. These would apply across markets at the individual organisation level, a healthcare sector level and an industrywide level. While visionary in intent, this would necessitate the cooperation and collaboration of all stakeholders to achieve the ideal outcomes.

Addressing barriers to insights, interventions and outcomes

Numerous factors contribute to the complexity of understanding and addressing health disparities. One significant issue stems from the lack of standards in data collection, data sharing and outcome measurement–which hinder the extraction of valuable insights. Additionally, the scarcity of platforms in a given healthcare ecosystem for sharing data, insights and best practices further hampers progress in this area and leads to ambiguities around data collection from patients at the individual level.

This is further compounded by the failure of the system to provide adequate training and incentives for individuals and organisations. Moreover, the minimal reimbursement for non-clinical interventions at the organisational level acts as a deterrent to patient participation. With certain sections of the population being less likely to benefit from investments in research and development, they are less likely to be represented in clinical development as well. All this leads to health disparities and inhibits collaboration between different organisations and sectors.

Regulatory restrictions pose another obstacle by limiting partnerships and impeding the equitable transfer of value between organisations. Moreover, the insufficient funding for health equity initiatives, especially those developed in collaboration with CBOs, poses a significant challenge in making meaningful and sustainable improvements. Addressing these barriers is crucial to achieving a more equitable and just healthcare system for all.

Strengthening primary healthcare

Primary healthcare is the first point of contact for patients and plays a pivotal role in promoting health equity. Effective primary healthcare services can help identify and manage health issues before they escalate, reducing the need for more expensive secondary or tertiary care. To strengthen this system, there must be an increase in investment in infrastructure and human resources, especially in underserved areas. Measures should also be taken to ensure continuity of care, promote preventive care and enhance the capacity for early detection and management of chronic diseases.

Technology plays a significant role in enhancing primary healthcare–expanding care options to encompass digital channels, such as telehealth and remote monitoring, or providing care directly to patients where they reside. If delivered right, this holds the potential to significantly improve access for underserved populations.

Standardising data and outcomes

Standardisation of data and definitions can greatly help to bridge the gap in the existing set-up and build universally accepted norms. This coupled with how policymakers can bring in clarity and consistency in standards will go a long way. If providers could lead the harmonization of data collected, interoperability, and outcome measurement standards, they would ideally be positioned to effect better outcomes and be able to nurture nurturing partnerships with CBOs, scale interventions and enable effective strategies to address and diminish health disparities within communities.

Fostering collaboration across direct and indirect players

Healthcare entities that aren’t providers, payers or life sciences companies can also play a crucial role in promoting health equity by aiding the development of standards and best practices. They can be termed as ‘connectors’ encompassing technology companies and service providers. Although they may be indirectly involved in patient care, they would typically help drive national presence and have insights into the operations of various healthcare entities. This positions them to ensure consistency in data inputs and measurements, share successful practices and facilitate the scalability of successful health equity initiatives. Furthermore, they can also directly contribute to scalability through partnerships with health systems, health plans and life sciences companies, thus enabling local operations.

Making healthcare equity a viable reality

To overcome the barriers to health equity, a comprehensive and multi-faceted approach is essential to address the factors and drivers which can influence healthcare access for all. Though the challenges may seem daunting, viable solutions are possible if all stakeholders come together under a common vision. This pursuit requires their unwavering commitment and may also extend beyond as new working models emerge and evolve. Adopting a flexible, sector-specific and maturity-adjusted approach can make health equity the norm and not an exception.