# Actionable partnerships for shaping healthcare’s future by closing the equitable access gap and delivering meaningful change

## TL;DR

This paper outlines four initiatives to close the health equity gap through partnerships between healthcare professionals and corporations.

## Contribution

The paper introduces a framework of four actionable initiatives for promoting health equity through corporate and multi-sector collaboration.

## Key findings

- Health equity requires collaboration among academic, governmental, and corporate stakeholders.
- Four initiatives can help close the treatment gap and improve equitable access to care.
- Corporate social responsibility is critical for ensuring all patients benefit from healthcare advancements.

## Abstract

Putting health equity into practice requires deliberate, longitudinal work by numerous stakeholders and a multi-sectoral strategy that simultaneously engages academic, governmental, and corporate entities. Corporate social responsibility in healthcare research and product development is a critical step to ensure that everyone benefits from diagnostics and treatments, and that all patients’ needs are met. Herein we describe activities ongoing at a global healthcare technology company in order to help close the treatment gap and improve equitable access to care. Published literature was used to inform a framework for organizing the activities into four initiatives: (1) raising awareness of the implications of the status quo; (2) implementing equitable patient-centered innovation; (3) building a more diverse workforce; and (4) generating the evidence base for equitable care. The four ongoing initiatives illustrate specific efforts that healthcare professionals and corporations can make to help close the health equity gap and shape the future of healthcare.

Incorporating health equity practices requires a joint effort by multiple stakeholders, including corporate social responsibility (CSR) in medical research and developmentFour initiatives for closing the health equity gap illustrate what is possible through intentional partnership: (1) raising awareness of the implications of the status quo; (2) implementing equitable patient-centered innovation; (3) building a more diverse workforce; and (4) generating the evidence base for equitable care.Using diversity planning, health equity, and CSR strategies, businesses are strongly positioned to further the movement toward health equity.

Incorporating health equity practices requires a joint effort by multiple stakeholders, including corporate social responsibility (CSR) in medical research and development

Four initiatives for closing the health equity gap illustrate what is possible through intentional partnership: (1) raising awareness of the implications of the status quo; (2) implementing equitable patient-centered innovation; (3) building a more diverse workforce; and (4) generating the evidence base for equitable care.

Using diversity planning, health equity, and CSR strategies, businesses are strongly positioned to further the movement toward health equity.