The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has announced the launch of Raising the Bar, an actionable framework for healthcare organizations to advance equity in care delivery.

With support from the foundation, the strategy was developed by advisors led by the National Alliance to Impact the Social Determinants of Health and includes specific principles, roles, and concrete actions that healthcare organizations can use to begin—or advance—their health equity work. The strategy’s core principles include committing to a mission of improving health and well-being; systematically pursuing health equity and racial justice; authentically partnering with community; sharing resources, voice, and power; and earning the trust of partners and sustaining relationships with them. The report details roles healthcare organizations play that must be leveraged for sector leaders to achieve equity, as well as case examples, concrete actions for each role, and resources for those looking to start or accelerate work.

The Raising the Bar coalition included experts from the Funders Forum on Accountable Health, Health Care Transformation Task Force, National Association of Community Health Centers, the National Partnership for Women & Families, RESOLVE, Social Intervention Research & Evaluation Network, Trust for America’s Health, and Well-Being and Equity (WE) in the World.

“Healthcare leaders have made a significant shift in how they view the importance of equity, but operationalizing the commitment requires a very bold and comprehensive approach. Ultimately, it requires taking actions to improve the community, patient care, workforce policy, and other areas,” said Robert Wood Johnson Foundation senior vice president Donald Schwarz. “Achieving equity in health care is multi-pronged and must ultimately be integrated throughout all operations. This new framework outlines how health care can approach its work differently to achieve much-needed change.”

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