Leading Change:The Disparities Solutions Initiative

Joseph R. Betancourt, M.D., M.P.H.Director, The Disparities Solutions Center

Senior Scientist, Institute for Health PolicyDirector for Multicultural Education, Massachusetts General Hospital

Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School

What is Leading Change?The Dissemination and Translation Arm

• Synthesize Results with FA and ES

– Examine results and develop into practical, usable forms that

include key themes & critical success factors

• Disseminate Solutions to Stakeholders

– Hospitals, Healthcare Systems, Provider Orgs’s

• Create Leaders and Provide Technical Assistance to

Implement Disparities Solutions

– Targeted Audience

• Maintain Clearinghouse of Disparities Solutions

– Web-based, interactive

Major Activities: Program Promotion

• LC should be recognized nationally as:– An RWJF Initiative that is action & intervention-oriented

and functions as the premiere, ongoing source of information for evidence-based, transferable, and practical disparities solutions

• Activities include:

– Strategic Forum

– Annual National Meetings

– Co-Sponsored Events

– E-Newsletter and Listserv

Major Activities: Targeted Leadership Development and

Technical Assistance

• Executive Disparities Institute

– Competitive Application Process (20 Org’s)

– Organizational Commitment to Project

– Opening and Closing Meeting (1.5 Day each)

– Two Conference Calls per Year

– Two months of Tech Assistance Calls

Major Activities: Broad Dissemination and Translation

• Annual National Meetings

• Public Web Seminars

• Quarterly E-Newsletter

• Website

– Highlights Projects;

– Searchable Database;

– Case-Study Section;

– New Interventions and Lit Search

Implications for Policy

• Premiere source of Disparities Solutions

– Focus on Quality of Care

• Not just dissemination…

– Focus on actionable, transferable, quality improvement

interventions to address disparities

– Help lead change via multiple activities including EDI,

Technical Assistance, Webinars, and National Meeting