Hello, and thanks for reading the fall 2022 issue of the MOQC newsletter. We hope to keep you up to date on some of the things happening in MOQC, in your practices, and in cancer care across the state.
With recent national attention being given to the passage of infrastructure bills, I thought I’d write a few words on digital equity. Digital equity refers to equitable access to devices, skills, and resources to access useable and user-friendly digital health care tools, and connectivity to the internet.
From telemedicine to patient-facing health apps to reporting of symptoms electronically to clinicians, health care is undergoing a transformation. With the passage of H.R.1841, the Digital Equity Act of 2021, by the US Congress and the Broadband Expansion Act in the state of Michigan, we are moving in the right direction to address gaps in access to digital technology and access to high-speed internet.
We know, however, that not all our patients have access to a computer, that many patients are not accustomed to using digital devices such as smart phones and tablets, and that many of our patients and their families do not have access to high-speed internet. In fact, many of the practice that belong to MOQC do not have reliable wi-fi, including guest wi-fi access for patients.
As with other advances, whether it be in treatment or technology, disparities are often amplified as some people get more of something good while others do not, staying in the same place, unable to benefit from innovation.
MOQC is devoted to centering equity. We have some ideas about how to improve digital equity and would love to hear from you. Please email me at jjgriggs@moqc.org with your thoughts, challenges, and ideas for solutions.
Dr. Jennifer Griggs
Program Director