Population Health

Alan Lavergne, VP of advocacy for the Dallas-Fort Worth chapter of HIMSS, discusses the five Texas chapters collaborating to advance health equity with the state's legislature, and talks about winning an award recognizing his efforts.

The uninsured rate dipped from 8.4% last year compared to 9.2% in 2021, but there were disparities linked to ethnicity.

Collaboration is needed for innovation to get out of siloes, says Olyvia Phillips, manager of equity initiatives for tech incubator MATTER.

As a catalyst for the renewed push, lawmakers cited the lives lost during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Educating healthcare professionals on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) data collection helps LGBTQ individuals to feel more inclusive and could lead to better outcomes, says Dana Trampas, senior digital health specialist at HIMSS.

HIMSS Chapter Advocacy Task Force serves as an information conduit for 57 chapters nationwide on issues such as health equity, says Lawrence Voyten, HIMSS board member and national advocacy chair.

The organization works toward attracting and prepping students for careers in the industry, as well as engaging employers to create a pipeline of feeder systems, says Grady Burrows, executive director of HIT in the CLE.

Dr. John Showalter, CPO at Linus Health, said an in-depth assessment can be conducted in about three minutes and lead to better diagnoses.

Dr. Jay Bhatt, managing director at Deloitte, said healthcare is more than just about access: It's a business imperative that requires business solutions.

Modeling showed per-visit reimbursement that was 6% lower for Black children and 3% lower for Hispanic children.