New CAPC guide aims to advance equity for Black patients

Having medical concerns dismissed, not being believed when reporting pain, and facing multiple barriers to care are just three of the experiences reported to the Center for Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) in a focus group of Black patients with serious illnesses.

In fact, when Black people in the United States are living with a serious illness such as cancer, heart failure or dementia, they experience disproportionately high suffering compared to white patients — often due to poor pain management, low-quality communication from their care teams, and high family caregiver burden.

To address these inequities, CAPC has released a new, comprehensive guide, “Advancing Equity for Black Patients with Serious Illness,” to equip palliative care leaders and health equity change agents with practical tools to implement meaningful change.

Drawn from research, examples of health equity initiatives from across the country, and the wisdom of health equity leaders, the guide provides a practical roadmap for transforming care for Black patients, and their families and caregivers.

“The work of advancing health equity in serious illness has never been more urgent, nor has its impact been more essential. CAPC is committed to empowering health care teams to make health equity an achievable goal,” said Brittany Chambers, the center’s director of Health Equity and Special Initiatives. “This guide provides actionable steps to advance equitable care for Black patients with serious illness, propelling us toward a system where health equity is not just a goal, but a reality.”

The guide outlines a process for creating sustainable health equity interventions, including the needs assessment; patient/caregiver engagement; intervention design and partnership development; business and operational planning; making the case for funding or support; and data collection and evaluation. It also offers advice on how to overcome adversity and find community while engaging in this meaningful and challenging work.