Program areas at Digital Health for Equitable Health Alliance
Advocacy for the underserved - advocate for legislation and regulations that promote Health equity and Digital Health. Dheh actively works with members of congress and their staff that are developing legislation to address Health equity and Digital Health. Dheh members and advisors directly work with congressional offices on a variety of bills to, for example, expand telehealth services, promote the access to Digital Health products that can improve healthcare for underserved populations, and to improve the center for medicare and medicaid services (cms) ability to monitor how effectively its payment systems address Health equity. In addition, dheh works with cms to advocate for medicare payment policies that support providing Digital Health services to underserved populations and to promote Health equity. Dheh also frequently hosts discussions from policy makers to identify new ways to improve care for underserved populations rural and urban. These policies have the potential to impact tens of millions of patient lives, including patients receiving medicare.
Health equity education - educate policy makers, the media, and the public about how Health equity challenges impact the delivery of healthcare services as well as how gaps in our nations healthcare system exacerbate societal and public Health inequities. Dhehs mission includes raising awareness and educating policy makers, the media and the public about the inequities in our nations healthcare system and ways to improve. To accomplish that objective, dheh hosts public forums where researchers, historically black college and university officials, product developers, community groups and policy makers can engage in moderated discussions about Health equity. Dhehs aim is to be an information resource to the media, policy makers, and general public. In 2023, dheh educated an estimated 150 individuals on Health equity.
Facilitate learning and collaboration on Health equity - facilitate learning and collaboration in reference to each stakeholders programs, research, products and services. This occurs through periodic dheh member meetings and through participation at conferences and meetings. In 2023, member stakeholders and interested parties in the field of Health equity were able to collaborate and learn from others at virtual member meetings and at a dheh sponsored session at htlh, the largest Digital Health conference in the country. During these activities, representatives from dhehs organizational members describe their organizations efforts research, product development, etc. To identify inequities in the healthcare system and develop tools to address those inequities. These efforts lead to sharing of best practices, discussions about recent research, and other learnings that have broad applicability.