On May 19, the Digital Health for Equitable Health (DHEH) Alliance was announced via a press release. The alliance is focusing on health disparities for low-income, minority, and underserved populations in the U.S. through digital health. The alliance will promote policies and programs that aim to increase individuals’ access to healthcare by expanding innovations through telehealth, wearables, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.
The release states that “Partners in the coalition include the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Howard University College of Medicine, the African American Wellness Project, Black Women's Health Imperative, Allergy and Asthma Network, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Meharry Medical College, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Patientory Foundation, Health Aims for Little Ones (HALO) and for Families, and Teva Pharmaceuticals.”
Further, “DHEH is the first-of-its-kind in that it is a coalition that is inclusive of representation of the communities for which it serves, and it is comprised of organizations that have never before come together to make social change using digital technology as the anchor for that change. This uniqueness is evident in its membership, which compromises historically black colleges and universities, patient and physician advocacy organizations, and corporate organizations, all with the unified mission to improve access to care in underserved organizations. DHEH continues to invite members who support improved access to data, access to digital solutions, digital health coverage, access to broadband, diversity in clinical trials of digital health solutions, and improved digital health literacy.”
Michael R. Crawford, associate dean for strategy, outreach and innovation, at Howard University College of Medicine and DHEH vice president and inaugural partner was quoted in the release saying that "The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devasting impact on all facets of society, but it expedited innovation in health technologies, and amplified the need for equitable approaches and technologies to address longstanding health challenges impacting vulnerable communities. That is why DHEH's work is so vital.”
More information on the DHEH Alliance can be accessed here.
