A: Absolutely. The Institute for Health Equity Research was established in May 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mount Sinai wanted to elevate the type of research Carol and I had been doing for years to a higher level—placing health equity research on the same footing as other major areas like neuroscience and stem cell research.
Our goal was to create a collaborative environment that brought together scholars, investigators, and faculty across Mount Sinai and beyond to tackle the complex issues driving health disparities. Like Carol, I’m a physician, specifically an emergency physician, and the emergency department is where I see the failures of our healthcare system firsthand—people who fall through the cracks and suffer preventable complications due to lack of access to care.
IHER uses data to understand why these disparities exist and applies research-driven interventions to change them. As I often say, our work is about moving from what is to what should be.
Research is not just about studying problems—it’s about using data to create real-world solutions that improve people’s lives.
A: There are many, but one that stands out is how we measure kidney function. Until recently, the medical field used an equation that falsely suggested Black patients had better kidney function than they actually did. This meant Black patients were often placed on kidney transplant lists later than white patients, delaying life-saving care. Researchers at our Institute were part of the effort to change this calculation and advocate for a race-neutral approach. The U.S. organ transplant system is now retroactively adjusting wait times to correct for these inequities.
Another example is hypertension, the leading cause of death in the U.S. We’ve found that Black and Latinx patients disproportionately suffer from complications like stroke and heart disease due to high blood pressure. In the emergency department, we’re implementing interventions to connect these patients with better care. One of our faculty members is leading a nurse-driven initiative to educate patients about the dangers of hypertension and help them manage it before it leads to serious complications.
A: Many of these inequities stem from broader societal disparities in education, wealth, and justice. Health outcomes are shaped more by where people live, work, and play than by the care they receive in hospitals. Once patients enter the healthcare system, they often face further disadvantages—whether it’s lack of insurance, bias in medical decision-making, or difficulty accessing follow-up care.
At Mount Sinai, we are tackling these issues through a combination of cultural shifts and data-driven interventions. We’ve implemented equity dashboards across departments to track who is receiving the best care and who is falling behind. By identifying patterns, we can intervene and ensure every patient receives high-quality treatment regardless of their background.
A: Nurses play a critical role in our work. They have direct, sustained relationships with patients and often notice disparities before anyone else. We’ve partnered with nurse scientists to develop interventions that make care more equitable, from improving hypertension management to addressing social determinants of health like food insecurity and transportation barriers.
Healthcare must be a team effort. Physicians, nurses, technicians—everyone needs to be accountable for equitable outcomes. That means recognizing that simply treating every patient the same is not enough. True equity requires meeting patients where they are and addressing the specific barriers they face.
A: AI is a powerful tool that allows us to analyze vast datasets in ways that were previously impossible. However, AI is only as good as the data it learns from. If the underlying data is biased, AI can perpetuate and even exacerbate inequities. For example, pulse oximeters—the devices that measure oxygen levels—were developed primarily using data from white patients. It turns out they are less accurate for people with darker skin, leading to delayed treatment decisions.
At IHER, we are working to ensure that AI and other emerging technologies are applied in ways that reduce disparities rather than reinforce them. That means being intentional about the data we use, continuously evaluating outcomes, and advocating for equitable technological advancements.
A: First, thank you, Edith, for the opportunity to share our work. Health equity is not just a healthcare issue—it’s a societal issue. Everyone has a role to play, whether you’re in medicine, business, policy, or community activism. We invite anyone interested in partnering with us to join this work.
As one of our community mentors taught us, “You can’t wring your hands and roll up your sleeves at the same time.” Now is the time to roll up our sleeves and take action. Whether through advocacy, funding, or spreading awareness, every effort counts in the fight for a more just and equitable healthcare system.
