A Framework for Developing Health Equity Initiatives in Radiology

Abstract

Purpose: In recent years, radiology departments have increasingly recognized the extent of health care disparities related to imaging and image-guided interventions. The goal of this article is to provide a framework for developing a health equity initiative in radiology and to articulate key defining factors.

Methods: This article leverages the experience of three academic radiology departments and explores key principles that emerged when observing the experiences of these departments that have begun to engage in health equity-focused work.

Results: A four-component framework is described for a health equity initiative in radiology consisting of (1) environmental scan and blueprint, (2) design and implementation, (3) initiative evaluation, and (4) community engagement. Key facilitators include a comprehensive environmental scan, early stakeholder engagement and consensus building, implementation science design thinking, and multitiered community engagement.

Conclusions: All radiology organizations should strive to develop, pilot, and evaluate novel initiatives that promote equitable access to high-quality imaging services. Establishing systems for high-quality data collection is critical to success. An implementation science approach provides a robust framework for developing and testing novel health equity initiatives in radiology. Community engagement is critical at all stages of the health equity initiative time line.

Keywords: Community engagement; data analytics; health equity; implementation science.