How Health Equity and Access to Care
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Investing in Health Equity and Access to Care to Improve the Healthcare System

Promoting health equity and improving access to care are essential for strengthening the healthcare system, as disparities contribute to higher costs and worse health outcomes for many Americans. Reducing these gaps can foster healthier communities and improve the overall healthcare system.

AHPA Recognizes That Health Equity and Access to Care are Determinants of Health

AHPA recognizes that health equity and access to care are essential to overall well-being and believes that everyone, regardless of social or economic status, should have access to necessary healthcare services. AHPA advocates for policies and initiatives that promote well-being, address social determinants of health and ensure equitable healthcare access. Committed to investment and policy reform, AHPA strives to give all Americans the opportunity to lead healthy, fulfilling lives. 

Government Investment Can Create Sustainable Solutions for Health Equity and Access to Care Nationwide

Funding can support:

  • Expanding healthcare coverage and lowering out-of-pocket costs: This increases access to primary and preventive care, improving health outcomes and reducing illness and premature death.
  • Ensuring funding for school-based health centers: These centers provide comprehensive medical, mental and dental care for students and families, fostering overall patient well-being.
  • Training programs for healthcare professionals: Expanding funding for public health and preventive medicine programs strengthens the workforce and enhances training quality.

The five AHPA health systems are already leading the way in addressing behavioral and mental health care within their communities:

AdventHealth is Bridging Healthcare Gaps Through Global and Local Initiatives

  • Health Equity Plans: AdventHealth has developed 65 data-driven health equity plans across its facilities to address disparities in healthcare outcomes. These plans focus on key health challenges such as maternal health, substance use disorders, diabetic readmissions, sepsis and heart failure, ensuring equitable care for marginalized communities.
  • Community Partnerships and Local Initiatives: AdventHealth has invested $9 million in community initiatives, collaborating with federally qualified health centers, faith-based organizations and nonprofits. These initiatives address urgent needs such as affordable housing, homelessness relief and job training for individuals with special needs. Local initiatives also address broader healthcare gaps, including food insecurity, legal support for individuals experiencing chronic homelessness and infrastructure improvements.
  • Innovative Care Delivery: The Hospital at Home program, in partnership with Biofourmis, brings inpatient-level care to patients’ homes, improving access for those facing challenges with traditional hospital treatment.
  • Global Missions: AdventHealth’s Global Missions initiative expands healthcare access worldwide by providing medical care, refugee assistance and infrastructure improvements across 14 countries. In 2023 alone, over 300 volunteers supported these efforts. Notable partnerships include those with Kendu Adventist Hospital in Kenya and Hospital del Sureste in Villahermosa, Mexico. 

LLUH is Expanding Access to Care Through Increased Availability, Research and Outreach

  • Research-Driven Health Equity Initiatives: LLUH’s Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine (CHDMM), a National Institute of Health-designated Center of Excellence, focuses on reducing health disparities by training a diverse biomedical workforce and advancing research in minority health. LLUH also conducts Community Health Needs Assessments to identify critical healthcare gaps to address in the Inland Empire region. 
  • Expanding Access and Community-Centered Care: LLUH increases healthcare access in underserved areas by extending primary care services, improving specialist availability and employing Community Health Workers as trusted liaisons to bridge cultural, social and economic barriers to care.

Adventist Health Advances Health Equity Through Community-Based Initiatives

  • Community Access and Needs: Through socio-demographic data collection, language services and community health needs assessments, Adventist Health identifies and addresses disparities, develops targeted implementation strategies and establishes measurable outcomes to improve community health. One identified need in rural areas was easier access to neonatal specialists, which led to the creation of the NICU Telemedicine Program, providing real-time virtual consultations to ensure timely, high-quality care for newborns.
  • Unhoused Individuals: Programs such as Homeless Health Navigation and CommunityConnect provide post-hospitalization support, care navigation and link individuals to housing, food and legal aid services. These initiatives connect people experiencing homelessness and mental illness to medical care, stable housing, financial assistance and community resources, reducing hospital readmissions and promoting long-term well-being.
  • Workforce Development: Adventist Health has implemented a system-wide workforce strategy to combat healthcare workforce shortages, especially in rural and underserved regions. This system includes training programs, career pipeline initiatives and development opportunities to support youth, address nursing shortages and create career pathways for low-income and minority populations.

Adventist HealthCare is Advancing Health Equity Through Training and Providing Access to Resources

  • Workforce Development and Training: The Center on Health Disparities drives community outreach, provider education and research to address local health inequities, while Cultural Competence Training equips healthcare professionals with cross-cultural communication skills. A partnership with Montgomery College strengthens the workforce through scholarships, mentorships and hands-on training to add 350 new nurses in Maryland. Meanwhile, Shady Grove Medical Center advances maternal health equity by training emergency teams to recognize complications, address racial biases and improve outcomes for Black patients and other vulnerable populations.
  • Improving Access to Resources: Adventist HealthCare connects patients with the support they need for better health outcomes. The Care Navigation Program helps individuals access essential community resources and receive guidance throughout treatment and recovery. At Shady Grove Medical Center, expanded access to donor breast milk and glucose gel has reduced NICU admissions for hypoglycemia by 50%, ensuring at-risk newborns receive critical early nutrition and care.

Kettering Health is Strengthening Community Health and Equity With Tailored Initiatives

  • Assessing and Addressing Community Needs: Kettering Health identifies and responds to key health challenges through regular Community Health Needs Assessments, developing targeted strategies to improve access to care, mental health, substance use treatment, chronic disease management, food security and infant mortality. To expand care for Medicaid and uninsured patients, Kettering Health also supports Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), funding a new center in Montgomery County and a school-based clinic in Middletown.
  • Supporting Community Well-Being: Through Good Neighbor House, Kettering Health provides financial and material assistance for food, clothing, household essentials, dental care and tobacco cessation. Healthcare Navigators offer free, personalized guidance to help individuals access medical care, mental health services, transportation and other critical resources, reducing barriers to care for underserved populations.

The Opportunity to Transform Health Equity and Access to Care

Investing in health equity and access to care is a necessity. Tackling the root causes of health disparities and ensuring quality care for all can lead to a fairer society, better health outcomes and lower healthcare costs. AHPA urges policymakers, healthcare providers and community leaders to collaborate in prioritizing these investments to build a healthier future for all Americans.

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