1602-11987

Massachusetts: The Disparities Solutions Center (DSC) is dedicated to the development and implementation of strategies that advance policy and practice to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in health care. The Healthcare Quality and Equity Action Forum is led by The Disparities Solutions Center (DSC) at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), as well as alumni from the Disparities Leadership Program which we developed and oversee. The forum takes place as a two-day conference entitled The Healthcare Quality and Equity Action Forum: Moving towards Access and Accountability and will be held in Boston, Massachusetts on September 29 and 30th, 2016. Forum faculty consists of interprofessional experts in the field, as well as those with real-world experience implementing equity strategies and solutions. The Forum targets leaders that are active in health care delivery—including those from health plans, hospitals, and health centers across the country—that focus on quality improvement. It provides participants with the tools and skills to identify and address racial and ethnic disparities in health care within their organization, and empowers them to implement these strategies and transform their organizations to focus on quality and equity. There is currently no annual, national conference that brings together leaders in quality improvement to obtain practical tools and skills to address disparities and achieve equity. The Forum seeks to take concepts of quality monitoring and improvement, and translate them with a particular focus on the tools and skills necessary to address disparities and achieve equity. Although organizations may be peripherally familiar with some of these approaches, the Forum will refine these and provide guidance on a set of step-wise, actionable strategies that can be implemented within healthcare delivery systems. The DSC is seeking support in the amount of $25,000 from the DentaQuest Foundation for salary support to assist in the planning and execution of the Forum, dissemination of findings, registration scholarships for organizations who provide care to underrepresented populations, and for a dedicated session that focuses on oral health and population management.