Descriptions
Knowing whether groups of patients experiences differences in access to health care can help practices focus efforts to address the inequity. The practice evaluates whether identified disparities demonstrate differences in access to care. An example of how a practice may demonstrate this is through a report of how an identified group of patients has lower rates of access to same day appointments, higher no show rates, greater ER use, or lower satisfaction with access than the general patient population.
Healthy People 2020 defines health disparity as "a particular type of health difference that is closely linked with social, economic, and/or environmental disadvantage. Health disparities adversely affect groups of people who have systematically experienced greater obstacles to health based on their racial or ethnic group; religion; socioeconomic status; gender; age; mental health; cognitive, sensory, or physical disability; sexual orientation or gender identity; geographic location; or other characteristics historically linked to discrimination or exclusion."