Health Equity | MedStar Health
Source: https://www.medstarhealth.org/about/health-equity
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:40
Health Equity | MedStar Health
Health Equity | MedStar Health
Health Equity
About MedStar Health
History
Our Hospitals
Leadership
Board of Directors
Awards & Recognitions
Accountable Care – Care Transformation Organization
Facts & Figures
Equity, Inclusion & Diversity
We Ask Because We Care
Health Equity
Browse this page
MedStar Health's commitment to health equity
Health inequities reflect a complex web of systemic factors that exist nationally and can negatively impact the health of many communities. At MedStar Health, we believe every person deserves an equal opportunity to achieve their highest level of health. This is at the core of our identity and essential to how we treat people.
We will be bold in addressing health inequities impacting our communities by ensuring an inclusive experience, delivering high-quality and safe care equitably, and giving support to those who face social barriers to living their healthiest life possible.
Our actions
Strategy overview
MedStar Health’s operational infrastructure for health equity ensures it is integrated into existing clinical governance structures and is a part of the fabric of how we deliver high quality and safe care for everyone.
The organization established the following areas of focus:
Healthcare disparity reduction
Health equity data optimization
Equitable care delivery
Addressing unmet social needs
Healthcare disparity reduction
We identified priorities for healthcare disparity reduction in hospital care, transitional care, perinatal care, and ambulatory care. As part of our system strategy to advance health equity, we routinely examine and monitor healthcare disparities that exist among our communities, including but not limited to the following demographic characteristics: race, ethnicity, preferred language, biological sex, and socioeconomic status.
Each MedStar Health
acute care hospital
is committed to advancing health equity in sepsis care, a life-threatening medical emergency. Additionally, in partnership with MedStar Health Clinical Care Transformation and
Home Care
, each acute care hospital and rehabilitation facility is committed to reducing readmission disparities and supporting smooth care transitions after hospitalization for every community served. Further, recognizing the ongoing national maternal health crisis, each MedStar Health hospital that provides
obstetrics services
is committed to reducing severe maternal morbidity, which disproportionally affects people of color.
In ambulatory care, our 300+
primary care
and
specialty clinics
across the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia have prioritized colorectal cancer screening in their disparity reduction program. This collaborative effort aligns the expertise of our Gastroenterology, Primary Care, and Community Health teams.
Priorities for healthcare disparity reduction
Health equity data optimization
We are focusing efforts to promote complete and accurate information on each individual’s demographics, preferred language, and unmet social needs to support health equity initiatives. MedStar Health associates receive cultural humility training to foster an inclusive patient experience when collecting this information at the time of registration.
Equitable care delivery
As part of our commitment to ensuring care is delivered equitably, we are embedding an equity lens throughout our safety operations, including the event reporting and event review process. We are also assessing existing clinical algorithms, policies, and procedures to identify and address any structural sources of inequities that may exist.
Addressing unmet social needs
Social and economic factors contribute significantly to an individual’s health status.
To support individuals who are facing social barriers to being healthy and accessing high-quality care, we screen all our hospital patients for unmet social needs (e.g., transportation barriers, food insecurity). Patients who are hospitalized and need special assistance are provided one-on-one support to address their social needs. We also launched the
MedStar Health Social Needs Tool
, which is universally available to our communities for navigation to local support services.
We ask because we care
We strive to make sure all patients have equal access to the highest quality and safest care. To support this mission, we may ask questions about your background and preferred language. You can update your information at any time.
Learn More
Meet our health equity partners
Meet Our Health Equity Partners
Community engagement
The voice of our communities is key to ensuring we identify the right solutions and right strategies to advance health equity.
Members of our Community Partnership Council serve as critical partners in the development of each health equity initiative.
Find care now
Change Location
Location
Urgent Care
Nearest location (mi)
Primary Care
Nearest location (mi)
Specialty Care
For specific health conditions
Telehealth
Immediate access to health care through MedStar eVisit
If you are experiencing a
medical emergency
, please call
911
or seek care at an emergency room.
Health Equity | MedStar Health
Health Equity
About MedStar Health
History
Our Hospitals
Leadership
Board of Directors
Awards & Recognitions
Accountable Care – Care Transformation Organization
Facts & Figures
Equity, Inclusion & Diversity
We Ask Because We Care
Health Equity
Browse this page
MedStar Health's commitment to health equity
Health inequities reflect a complex web of systemic factors that exist nationally and can negatively impact the health of many communities. At MedStar Health, we believe every person deserves an equal opportunity to achieve their highest level of health. This is at the core of our identity and essential to how we treat people.
We will be bold in addressing health inequities impacting our communities by ensuring an inclusive experience, delivering high-quality and safe care equitably, and giving support to those who face social barriers to living their healthiest life possible.
Our actions
Strategy overview
MedStar Health’s operational infrastructure for health equity ensures it is integrated into existing clinical governance structures and is a part of the fabric of how we deliver high quality and safe care for everyone.
The organization established the following areas of focus:
Healthcare disparity reduction
Health equity data optimization
Equitable care delivery
Addressing unmet social needs
Healthcare disparity reduction
We identified priorities for healthcare disparity reduction in hospital care, transitional care, perinatal care, and ambulatory care. As part of our system strategy to advance health equity, we routinely examine and monitor healthcare disparities that exist among our communities, including but not limited to the following demographic characteristics: race, ethnicity, preferred language, biological sex, and socioeconomic status.
Each MedStar Health
acute care hospital
is committed to advancing health equity in sepsis care, a life-threatening medical emergency. Additionally, in partnership with MedStar Health Clinical Care Transformation and
Home Care
, each acute care hospital and rehabilitation facility is committed to reducing readmission disparities and supporting smooth care transitions after hospitalization for every community served. Further, recognizing the ongoing national maternal health crisis, each MedStar Health hospital that provides
obstetrics services
is committed to reducing severe maternal morbidity, which disproportionally affects people of color.
In ambulatory care, our 300+
primary care
and
specialty clinics
across the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia have prioritized colorectal cancer screening in their disparity reduction program. This collaborative effort aligns the expertise of our Gastroenterology, Primary Care, and Community Health teams.
Priorities for healthcare disparity reduction
Health equity data optimization
We are focusing efforts to promote complete and accurate information on each individual’s demographics, preferred language, and unmet social needs to support health equity initiatives. MedStar Health associates receive cultural humility training to foster an inclusive patient experience when collecting this information at the time of registration.
Equitable care delivery
As part of our commitment to ensuring care is delivered equitably, we are embedding an equity lens throughout our safety operations, including the event reporting and event review process. We are also assessing existing clinical algorithms, policies, and procedures to identify and address any structural sources of inequities that may exist.
Addressing unmet social needs
Social and economic factors contribute significantly to an individual’s health status.
To support individuals who are facing social barriers to being healthy and accessing high-quality care, we screen all our hospital patients for unmet social needs (e.g., transportation barriers, food insecurity). Patients who are hospitalized and need special assistance are provided one-on-one support to address their social needs. We also launched the
MedStar Health Social Needs Tool
, which is universally available to our communities for navigation to local support services.
We ask because we care
We strive to make sure all patients have equal access to the highest quality and safest care. To support this mission, we may ask questions about your background and preferred language. You can update your information at any time.
Learn More
Meet our health equity partners
Meet Our Health Equity Partners
Community engagement
The voice of our communities is key to ensuring we identify the right solutions and right strategies to advance health equity.
Members of our Community Partnership Council serve as critical partners in the development of each health equity initiative.
Find care now
Change Location
Location
Urgent Care
Nearest location (mi)
Primary Care
Nearest location (mi)
Specialty Care
For specific health conditions
Telehealth
Immediate access to health care through MedStar eVisit
If you are experiencing a
medical emergency
, please call
911
or seek care at an emergency room.