In recognition of Global Health Equity Week (Nov. 9-13), the EHR Association’s Social Determinants of Health & Health Equity Task Force shares the following statement.
In recognition of Global Health Equity Week, the EHR Association reaffirms its commitment to bringing the health equity perspective to the industry’s conversation about artificial intelligence and beyond. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into healthcare, the Association’s SDOH & Health Equity Task Force supports building on its broader work advocating for transparency, responsible AI governance, and equitable access to innovation. EHR developers sit where AI tools meet patient care, which gives them a clear opportunity to help ensure these technologies reduce, rather than contribute to, existing health disparities.
“AI will only be as equitable as the data, design decisions, and governance behind it. Health equity can’t be an afterthought in the AI conversation. EHR developers have a unique vantage point across care settings, and we have a responsibility to use it to make sure innovation reaches every patient population it’s meant to serve,” said Tammy Coutts (MEDITECH), Chair, SDOH & Health Equity Task Force.
“Health outcomes are shaped well beyond the exam room. Factors such as transportation, financial stability, language, disability, and digital access all influence whether patients can reach care, understand their health information, and follow through on treatment. The EHR Association, through the SDOH & Health Equity Task Force, recognizes the importance of policies that promote interoperability, accessibility, and meaningful health information exchange, so that the information needed to address these factors follows patients across settings of care,” said Michael Blackman, MD, MBA (Greenway Health), Vice Chair, SDOH & Health Equity Task Force.
The Task Force is also turning that commitment into practical guidance for the developer community. Through resources such as the Accessibility Checklist and Mobile Accessibility Checklist, it is helping EHR developers better understand and address barriers to equitable care.
As the EHR Association continues to engage policymakers and industry partners on AI governance and interoperability, the SDOH & Health Equity Task Force will continue working to keep health equity a core consideration in how health IT is designed, governed, and deployed.
