What We’re Learning: Reducing Disparities in the Quality of Care for Racial and Ethnic Minorities Improves Care

The Challenge

Your health care depends on who you are. Race and ethnicity continue to influence a patient’s chance of receiving many specific health care procedures and treatments. A thorough review of health quality data shows that racial and ethnic minorities continue to receive lower-quality care than Whites. These differences persist even when insurance status and socioeconomic factors like education and income are taken into account. In its 2012 National Healthcare Disparities Report, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality suggests that disparities in quality of care are common.