Mission:
To serve as a resource for hospitals, health systems, community health centers, health plans, and the general public in collecting information on patients' race, ethnicity, and primary language.

Background:
The Health Research and Educational Trust, with support from the Commonwealth Fund, launched the online HRET disparities toolkit in February 2005 to assist hospitals and other healthcare providers in collecting information on race, ethnicity, and primary language from patients. This information helps in the identification of the nature and extent of disparities of health care in the United States, in order to improve its delivery and quality and to monitor progress. In addition, state and federal laws require reporting data by race and ethnicity to target discriminatory practices. Although 82 percent of hospitals now collect this information on their patients, and 67 percent collect information on their primary language, the data are not collected in a systematic or standard manner and often are not shared, even within different departments of the same hospital.

Outstanding Web Features:
The HRET disparities toolkit contains information on collecting data; using data; legal issues; confidentiality; staff training; and community involvement. The site also provides tools to help hospitals improve data collection methods and online resources related to disparities in health care.