Measure what matters: A survey-based examination of health equity tracking and measurement practices across healthcare systems in the United States.

The objectives of this study were to understand how healthcare systems are incorporating equity into performance measurement and to uncover trends that inform healthcare systems' efforts to advance equity. A national cross-sectional survey was designed and administered during Spring 2022 to eva...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hallie Roth, Emilia De Marchis, Karyl Kopaskie, Alexandra Restall, Caroline Fichtenberg, Shaifali Ray, Kristen M J Azar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0323381
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850151477864038400
author Hallie Roth
Emilia De Marchis
Karyl Kopaskie
Alexandra Restall
Caroline Fichtenberg
Shaifali Ray
Kristen M J Azar
author_facet Hallie Roth
Emilia De Marchis
Karyl Kopaskie
Alexandra Restall
Caroline Fichtenberg
Shaifali Ray
Kristen M J Azar
author_sort Hallie Roth
collection DOAJ
description The objectives of this study were to understand how healthcare systems are incorporating equity into performance measurement and to uncover trends that inform healthcare systems' efforts to advance equity. A national cross-sectional survey was designed and administered during Spring 2022 to evaluate organizational efforts to track and measure health equity. The survey examined clinical and non-clinical health equity metrics/indicators tracked at the executive-level. We identified variation in how health equity is measured. Of the 27 respondents, seven (25.9%) were in the planning phase, nine (33.3%) were in early implementation, seven (25.9%) had practices implemented for one to two years, and four (14.8%) had practices implemented for three or more years. Most systems were tracking clinical metrics and evaluating metrics across subpopulations. Metrics related to chronic disease management and preventive care were mentioned most frequently (23.6% and 16.0%, respectively). Race/ethnicity was the most utilized demographic filter to evaluate equity. Systems at later stages of implementation were tracking fewer metrics, yet many systems were still in early stages of implementation. Health systems need specific and pragmatic guidance to develop and implement equity measures tracked at the executive level. Insights from current health system initiatives can help inform guidelines from national quality organizations for disparity reduction in clinical outcomes.
format Article
id doaj-art-2c684a47427c44ff8712f7737e55a75c
institution OA Journals
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-2c684a47427c44ff8712f7737e55a75c2025-08-20T02:26:14ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01205e032338110.1371/journal.pone.0323381Measure what matters: A survey-based examination of health equity tracking and measurement practices across healthcare systems in the United States.Hallie RothEmilia De MarchisKaryl KopaskieAlexandra RestallCaroline FichtenbergShaifali RayKristen M J AzarThe objectives of this study were to understand how healthcare systems are incorporating equity into performance measurement and to uncover trends that inform healthcare systems' efforts to advance equity. A national cross-sectional survey was designed and administered during Spring 2022 to evaluate organizational efforts to track and measure health equity. The survey examined clinical and non-clinical health equity metrics/indicators tracked at the executive-level. We identified variation in how health equity is measured. Of the 27 respondents, seven (25.9%) were in the planning phase, nine (33.3%) were in early implementation, seven (25.9%) had practices implemented for one to two years, and four (14.8%) had practices implemented for three or more years. Most systems were tracking clinical metrics and evaluating metrics across subpopulations. Metrics related to chronic disease management and preventive care were mentioned most frequently (23.6% and 16.0%, respectively). Race/ethnicity was the most utilized demographic filter to evaluate equity. Systems at later stages of implementation were tracking fewer metrics, yet many systems were still in early stages of implementation. Health systems need specific and pragmatic guidance to develop and implement equity measures tracked at the executive level. Insights from current health system initiatives can help inform guidelines from national quality organizations for disparity reduction in clinical outcomes.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0323381
spellingShingle Hallie Roth
Emilia De Marchis
Karyl Kopaskie
Alexandra Restall
Caroline Fichtenberg
Shaifali Ray
Kristen M J Azar
Measure what matters: A survey-based examination of health equity tracking and measurement practices across healthcare systems in the United States.
PLoS ONE
title Measure what matters: A survey-based examination of health equity tracking and measurement practices across healthcare systems in the United States.
title_full Measure what matters: A survey-based examination of health equity tracking and measurement practices across healthcare systems in the United States.
title_fullStr Measure what matters: A survey-based examination of health equity tracking and measurement practices across healthcare systems in the United States.
title_full_unstemmed Measure what matters: A survey-based examination of health equity tracking and measurement practices across healthcare systems in the United States.
title_short Measure what matters: A survey-based examination of health equity tracking and measurement practices across healthcare systems in the United States.
title_sort measure what matters a survey based examination of health equity tracking and measurement practices across healthcare systems in the united states
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0323381
work_keys_str_mv AT hallieroth measurewhatmattersasurveybasedexaminationofhealthequitytrackingandmeasurementpracticesacrosshealthcaresystemsintheunitedstates
AT emiliademarchis measurewhatmattersasurveybasedexaminationofhealthequitytrackingandmeasurementpracticesacrosshealthcaresystemsintheunitedstates
AT karylkopaskie measurewhatmattersasurveybasedexaminationofhealthequitytrackingandmeasurementpracticesacrosshealthcaresystemsintheunitedstates
AT alexandrarestall measurewhatmattersasurveybasedexaminationofhealthequitytrackingandmeasurementpracticesacrosshealthcaresystemsintheunitedstates
AT carolinefichtenberg measurewhatmattersasurveybasedexaminationofhealthequitytrackingandmeasurementpracticesacrosshealthcaresystemsintheunitedstates
AT shaifaliray measurewhatmattersasurveybasedexaminationofhealthequitytrackingandmeasurementpracticesacrosshealthcaresystemsintheunitedstates
AT kristenmjazar measurewhatmattersasurveybasedexaminationofhealthequitytrackingandmeasurementpracticesacrosshealthcaresystemsintheunitedstates