Health Equity
Health Equity at PacMed
Good health is not equally available to everyone. Past and present prejudice and institutions have cut many off from what it takes to stay healthy in our society, such as financial stability, health insurance and access to healthy food, neighborhoods, doctors and more.
At PacMed, we push for equity in health care by acknowledging the barriers to preventive screenings, treatments and health outcomes that affect many racial, social, economic and ethnic groups—and we work harder to deliver our care across these barriers.
We believe that our collective efforts can help bring good health within everyone’s reach. Addressing health equity is core to our mission to provide “Simply the right care.”
Journey of Health Equity at PacMed
In 2020, Providence made a $50 million investment to establish the Health Equity Fund as part of a larger effort to reduce health disparities and achieve health equity. PacMed utilized these funds to start their own Health Equity sub-department and onboard the Health Equity team.
In 2021 the Health Equity Team was formed at PacMed as a sub-department of the Population Department that analyzes data and provides care management services. The Health Equity Team identifies health disparities in our patient population, strategizes solutions and conducts outreach to help bring health to all.
Currently, we are focusing on these outreach measures:
- Colonoscopy screening among patient populations who have not had an opportunity for this screening. Regular screening for colon cancer saves lives.
- Patient populations who have a history of high blood pressure (hypertension). Blood pressure control is important to reduce a person’s risk of stroke or heart attack over their lifetime.
Health Equity Goals by Year
= achieved
Colon Cancer
Hypertension
Colon Cancer
Hypertension
Diabetes
Colon Cancer
Hypertension
Diabetes
Meet the Team
Our Health Equity team members have strong backgrounds in social work, clinical pharmacology and community navigation—and a demonstrated track record and passion for caring for the most vulnerable in our communities.
This team works closely with patients’ personal PacMed primary care doctors to tailor interventions and help ensure access to care for improved outcomes. They communicate directly with patients and meet them where they are at to encourage their active participation in their care.
Together, we are striving to find strategies to improve health for particular medical issues within specific populations.
Health Equity Team
Sonja Maddox, MD
Diana Dass, MS, MPH
Avalon Valencia, LICSW, MHP
Jeremy D. Viray, BA
Taleijah Gibson-Sims
Deanna Austin
Resources
Hear from our physicians on Health Equity at PacMed:
Culture of Health podcast episodes
Dr. Anyaoku hosted guests Dr. Sonja Maddox, a primary care physician from Pac Med, and Karla Gomez, Manager of Health Equity for the South Division, to discuss the prevalence of hypertension in Black and Latinx communities and the underlying reasons.
Prevention is the Cure: Colorectal Cancer
Dr. Anyaoku, engages in a discussion with Dr. Sonja Maddox, a primary care physician at PacMed and Denise Colome, Director of Health Equity in the South Division. Together, they delve into the intricate nuances of health equity pertaining to colorectal cancer.