“The State of Equity in America” Roundtable Recap

By Office of The President | Nov 29, 2022

I was honored to participate in U.S. News & World Report’s day-long inaugural forum on “The State of Equity in America.” Live-streamed nationally, this powerful and engaging event brought together thought leaders in finance and healthcare to share their perspectives and expertise. 

Fellow panelists included Steven J. Corwin, M.D., President and CEO of New York-Presbyterian, Philip O. Ozuah, M.D., Ph.D., President and CEO of Montefiore Medicine, and Selwyn M. Vickers, M.D., President and CEO of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, for an Executive Roundtable discussion on “The State of Hospital Equity.”

Our panel examined health equity through several lenses: how social determinants affect health, as well as financial and educational equity; the importance of genomic data in addressing health disparities with personalized, precision medicine; and why a diverse and representational medical and faculty workforce is so important, among other topics.

Speakers included Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League, and Regina M. Benjamin, M.D., the 18th U.S. Surgeon General, as well as experts in hospital operations, analytics, and technology. In addition, health disparities are a significant challenge within our Downstate community and nationwide. Inequities in healthcare access and outcomes can vary dramatically based on ethnicity, education, income level, and many other social determinants of health. They can also vary based on where you live.

I shared with the panel that here at Downstate, we address inequities daily through the care we provide at the University Hospital of Downstate, our education and mentoring programs, and our research.

Having a diverse faculty and staff is essential to addressing health inequities. It makes a difference in how patients perceive the care we provide. It makes an aspirational difference when we encourage young community members to pursue careers in medicine and the health professions.

We must know our patients and their vulnerabilities. We must know which social determinants may be impacting their care. We must understand the genomics of our patients and the differences in race and ethnicity to ensure they receive the proper treatment and that it is personalized and comprehensive. Engaging in these activities also means being sensitive, culturally competent, and proactive in listening and building patient trust.

What became clear, both in my panel and discussions throughout the day, is that we as a nation require actionable solutions to close the gaps in health equity in people of color. The change will require comprehensive research and innovation. It will require economic equity and education equity. It will require collective impact.

The full conference recording is available on YouTube – scroll to 5:54:55 to access President Riley’s panel discussion.)