At the MCRH, we believe that achieving rural health equity requires practical assessments, strong collaboration, and continuous education. Equitable programs must analyze data to determine where funds, resources, and opportunities need to be allocated to ensure all community members have the opportunity to thrive.
No matter the framework your organization chooses to utilize to advance health equity, it is essential to incorporate a systems approach to health. Whether your organization uses the Thrive Rural Framework, Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity Framework, or another framework, such as those identified in the Rural Health Information Hub, the framework you choose should appropriately align with your organization’s priorities and preferences.
Equity vs. Equality: Equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances and needs, while equality provides everyone the same resources, regardless of their need.
Not sure what the best framework is for your organization? Need additional resources? Reach out to the MCRH. We are here to help!
Resources
- This video by the National Rural Health Resource Center defines and describes health equity and how it can be addressed within rural communities. Leaders will better understand the unique strengths and challenges rural communities experience in addressing health equity and the social influencers of health and discover ways hospitals can advance health equity.
- With the support of the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), this report by the National Rural Health Resource Center held a virtual summit with leaders in rural health care policy, health equity, value-based care, and clinical quality to address health equity in rural communities. The report is intended to identify the association between rural health equity and health care cost, discover barriers that prevent health equity in rural communities and identify best practices and innovative models to achieve health equity in rural communities.
- This brief, developed by the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH), aims to define population health and health equity, with particular attention to the nuances of rural clinical partners.
- The Rural Health Equity Toolkit by Rural Health Information Hub compiles evidence-based frameworks and promising strategies and resources to support organizations working toward health equity in rural communities across the U.S. The toolkit provides resources focused on developing, implementing, evaluating, and sustaining rural programs that focus on health equity.
- MDHHS provides an overview of equity and the importance of prioritizing inequities by engaging members to identify, understand, and prioritize inequities. This resource offers multiple resources, including equity pursuit tools, practical convening tools, shared vision, and goals tools, engaged diverse partners tools, aligned systems tools, and adaptive learning and improvement processes tools.
- The American Hospital Association toolkit focuses on developing healthcare community partnership strategies to help expand healthcare services, eliminate inequities, and improve health equity.
- Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) provides health equity resources, including recommended first steps, online training, articles to read, books, and in-person training
Social Drivers of Health Manager Contact
Laura Mispelon, MHA
Social Drivers of Health Manager
Michigan Center for Rural Health
laura.mispelon@affiliate.msu.edu