1. Race, Ethnicity, and Language Data: Standardization for Health Care Quality Improvement

Institute of Medicine
The quality of health care in the United States is not optimal, and the pace of improvement is slow. In addition, disparities persist for specific population groups. A fundamental step in identifying which populations are most at risk is to collect data on race, ethnicity, and English-language proficiency. A large body of research has documented disparities in access to and quality of health care that are revealed when quality of care measures are examined by these variables. A lack of standardization of race, ethnicity, and language categories has been raised as one obstacle to achieving more widespread collection and utilization of these data.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2009/RaceEthnicityData.aspx

2. Free News Report on Health Disparities:
Webcasts of interactive panel discussions, interviews, and policy-oriented conferences and events featured in new online report  Washington, D.C. - Recognizing the need for greater awareness and understanding of racial and ethnic disparities in health and health care, the Kaiser Family Foundation announced today the launch of a news summary report - the Kaiser Health Disparities Report: A Weekly Look at Race, Ethnicity and Health. The report is available through a free weekly email, with stories updated daily online on kaisernetwork.org, the Foundation's news and information service.

3.  Bridging the Divide: Medicare's Role in Reducing Racial and Ethnic Disparities

This event examined a growing body of evidence indicating disparities in quality of care among Medicare beneficiaries of different racial and ethnic backgrounds. Panelists also discussed whether and how the Medicare program should use its clout as a health care payer and player to move toward eliminating racial and ethnic disparities. [Kaiser Network, 1-29-07]

4. Language Disparities and Timely Care for Children in Managed Care Medicaid

This is a study published in the American Journal of Managed Care entitled "Language Disparities and Timely Care for Children in managed Care Medicaid. Interesting article of the relationship between language of parents (among the variables) and timeliness of care. Although done in WA state, it reiterates the importance of parent ability to communicate and outcome for care for children and identifies that the use of an interpreter results in more timely access.  for more info, go to: http://imiaweb.org/uploads/pages/203.pdf

5.  EDUCATIONAL TOOL FOR ADDRESSING RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISPARITIES IN CARE

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Center for Health Care Quality at The George Washington University have developed a short educational video and PowerPoint to explain to providers the importance of identifying and addressing racial and ethnic disparities in care. The video examines the definition of health care disparities and academic evidence of its existence and presents tested solutions to identify and address disparities from previous RWJF-funded initiatives.· Watch the video here: http://rwjf.org/newsroom/product.jsp?id=44448.

6.  Ensuring that Health Care Reform Will Meet the Health Care Needs of Minority Communities and Eliminate Health Disparities

The Advisory Committee on Minority Health submitted their report to Secretary Kathleen Sebelius with suggestions ensuring that health care reform meets health care needs of minority communities and eliminates health disparities. The full PDF of the report can be accessed at:
http://www.omhrc.gov/Assets/pdf/Checked/1/ACMH_HealthCareAccessReport.pdf

7.  2009 National Healthcare Disparities Report

The National Healthcare Quality Report notes that very little progress has been made on eliminating health care-associated infections (HAIs), with rates of many HAIs increasing in the past year. Reform will improve the quality of care for all Americans through new incentives that reward quality over quantity of care.The 2009 Report also found that among the most prevailing disparity was the lack of preventive care.  For example, many minorities had worsening disparities in the percentage of adults over age 50 who received appropriate screening for colon cancer. Also, African Americans and Hispanics had increasing death rates from the disease.  The new health care reform law ensures that Americans have access to the free preventive services they need to create a system that prevents diseases before they require more costly treatment.
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/qrdr09.htm

8.  Massachusetts

S.810 An Act to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities
http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/senate/186/st00pdf/st00810.pdf