As emergency medicine providers, we believe that optimal emergency care provision requires us to identify, address, and seek solutions to ameliorate suffering and reduce the costs that result from health inequities. Through research, education, and advocacy, the GEM Health Equity Committee aims to improve clinical care for patients who are negatively impacted by health inequities. We work to inform policy, ensuring that the social determinants of health are considered key factors influencing acute illness and injury, emergency department utilization, and access to appropriate post-emergency care.
The GEM Health Equity Committee aims to:
- Support health systems and emergency care research that seeks to identify, address, and/or improve the social determinants of health.
- Ensure that emergency medicine education at our institutions includes teaching on the social determinants of health, their impact on disease status and access to care, and the role of the emergency physician in addressing SDOH.
- Establish a network of emergency clinicians, researchers, and decision makers to maximize the impact of advocacy for areas of policy and practice that aim to reduce health inequities. Connect this network with existing poverty reduction and health equity initiatives. Support emergency providers to engage politically through collective action and interaction with key stakeholders.
- Share and disseminate information and strategies to improve clinical care for patients who are negatively impacted by health inequities.
The GEM Health Equity Committee is led by Co-Chairs Dr. Kate Hayman & Dr. Jennifer Hulme.
For more information or to get involved in the GEM Health Equity Committee please contact: hgirdler@gemcentre.ca