DIGITAL EQUITY : HEALTHCARE
A personal health crisis — and the search for a culturally competent provider — spurred one woman to dedicate her career to helping others achieve equitable healthcare access .
illustrations by aaron marin
T he sudden shift to telehealth in 2020 highlighted huge disparities in the ability to seek medical attention — and also created potentially dire consequences for patients . ¶ “ If you can ’ t access your doctor , you can ’ t be healthy ,” says Priya Bathija , vice president of strategic initiatives for the American Hospital Association . That ’ s especially true for Black , Hispanic and Latin American , lower-income , and other vulnerable populations who already had limited healthcare options . To attain digital health equity , Bathija says , individuals must be able to not only access , but understand how to engage with , the technology used to deliver care . ¶ It ’ s important to meet patients where they are , and to do that , Bathija asks key questions : Who can afford broadband and Wi-Fi ? Who has a J
IMBERLY
ILSON :
HEALING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN DOCTORS & PATIENTS