Project Equity: Reducing Disparities for People with Serious Illness

People living with serious illness experience significant health disparities that can profoundly affect their quality of life and, in many cases, their survival. These disparities show up in multiple ways—differences in disease prevalence, access to timely and appropriate care, quality of communication, symptom management, and availability of support for caregivers. Communities across various geographies, socioeconomic backgrounds, racial and ethnic groups, and people living with disabilities or behavioral health conditions are disproportionately affected.

• Health equity is “the state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health" (per the CDC).
• Health disparities are avoidable differences in health outcomes that are driven by social, structural, and historical factors.​

For people with serious illness, these health disparities can be the difference between receiving well-managed, person‑centered care and experiencing avoidable suffering. Achieving a U.S. health system where all people have equitable access to high‑quality care requires meaningful, system‑level change.

Through the Project Equity initiative, CAPC develops educational resources and practical tools that equip champions to address disparities in access to, and the quality of, care for people living with serious illness and their caregivers.

Drawing on our 25-year track record of diffusing innovation to drive social change in health care, CAPC is taking a proactive approach to addressing disparities in the care for patients with serious illness. We continuously engage experts, patients, and caregivers for guidance of our efforts to advance health equity. We focus on the following four strategic priorities to advance the highest-quality care for all people living with serious illness and their families.

• Increase awareness of disparities in serious illness care across all health care audiences, and clearly communicate the urgency and value of investing in solutions.
• Close gaps in access to specialty palliative care for underserved populations by providing targeted, evidence‑informed technical assistance.
• Strengthen strategic partnerships with leaders and organizations committed to reducing disparities in serious illness care.
• Scale effective interventions by developing technical assistance that supports broader adoption of proven practices to advance health equity.

Connecting with Colleagues and Subject Matter Experts

• Virtual Office Hour: Reducing Health Disparities for People With Serious Illness

Tools for Equity Champions

• Health Equity Toolkit

Highlighting Trends and Innovative Practices:

• CAPC’s Innovation Hub
• Palliative In Practice Blog
• On-Demand Webinars

Reducing disparities for Black patients with serious illness:

• Guide: Advancing Equity for Black Patients with Serious Illness
• Health Care for Black Patients with Serious Illness: A Literature Review
• Improving Health Care Quality for Black Patients Living with Serious Illness: A Catalogue of Interventions

Reducing disparities for Hispanic patients with serious illness:

• The Health Care Experience of Hispanic Patients with Serious Illness: A Literature Review
• Listening to Hispanic/Latino Voices: Insights on Serious Illness Care Experiences

System Change Initiatives:

• Health Equity Policy Recommendations
• CAPC’s Health Equity Accelerator

Addressing the complex drivers of health disparities requires all health professionals to take an active role. Through Project Equity, CAPC will continue to provide open-access practical tools, innovative practices, training, and other resources to help health professionals and organizations take meaningful action to reduce disparities for all persons living with serious illness.