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Health Disparities Action Plan - Type
2 Diabetes Focus
Purpose of Health Disparities Action Plan
The Network of Ethnic Physician Organizations [NEPO] health
disparities action plan provides a framework that gives
voice to communities of color to address health disparities
and provides a vehicle for ethnic physician leaders to
address these issues. The plan of action -
- Constructs a mechanism created by ethnic physicians
in partnership with other organizations that provides
direction for ethnic physician physicians and
ethnic physician organizations to address racial
and ethnic health disparities in their communities.
- Provides a document that others can look to
for opportunities to partner with ethnic physician
organizations to address racial and ethnic health
disparities.
- Shares current ethnic physician organization
projects and partnerships to address racial and
ethnic health disparities as a catalyst for future
action.
- Provides a framework to identify areas for future
grant funding for ethnic physician organizations,
both at the local and state level.
- Establishes a framework for the Network of Ethnic
Physician Organizations to identify and review
policies that address racial and ethnic health
disparitie
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It is envisioned that this plan of action will be the
prototype for ethnic physician organizations to develop
future plans addressing other health disparities.
Network of Ethnic Physicians Project Overview
Ethnic physicians and their organizations play important
roles in promoting the health of diverse communities.
Minority physicians are more likely to practice medicine
in communities with a higher percentage of ethnically
diverse members. While most minority patients in California
still receive care from a health provider of a different
ethnic background, minority physicians in California often
provide a bridge to greater language and cultural understanding
between their colleagues and their communities.
The Network of Ethnic Physician Organizations Project
began in 2002 in an effort to enable ethnic physician
organizations to work and advocate for improved health
care in their local communities. The Network was formed
to -
- Strengthen the collaboration between ethnic
physician and community-based organizations.
- Deepen the relationship between physicians and
community members to improve the health of their
communities.
- Address issues of health disparities, diversity
in the workforce and access to care.
- Encourage ethnic physicians to broaden their
efforts to address health concerns within their
communities.
- Provide the local community with the ethnic
physician's perspective on community health issues
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Ethnic physicians have a high level of credibility within
their communities. In addition, they are credible spokespersons
to the media, policy makers, and opinion leaders. They
can take complex issues such as health disparities and
make them come alive with illustrations from their own
practices and life experiences. |
