MEADOWBROOK, PA – OCTOBER 2024 – The Regional Coalition to Eliminate Race-Based Medicine announced this month that all its member health systems have transitioned away from race adjustments in clinical decision support tools that help guide lung, kidney, and OB-GYN care. Redeemer Health has participated in the coalition since early 2023.
"Outdated beliefs about biological differences between races have for many years been embedded in decision support tools used in the practice of medicine. The Regional Coalition is working aggressively to change these tools to make them race neutral. We are extremely appreciative of the health systems that have committed to eliminating these inappropriate race-based adjustments," said Dr. Seun Ross, coordinator of the Regional Coalition. "The work that each health system has done is already leading to improved outcomes in our region and over time will save and extend lives."
For example, the hospitals and health systems in the region adopted a change in the estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate or eGFR (the kidney function test) calculation that has helped over 721 patients move onto and up on the kidney transplant list. As a result, 63 of those patients received a kidney transplant during 2023.
The group has also advocated to remove race from the Kidney Donor Risk Index, a formula used by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network to assess donor kidney quality. These are the first milestones for the Regional Coalition, and it helps ensure that residents in the Philadelphia area are being assessed with the most appropriate and evidence-based clinical decision tools.
In addition to the kidney function test, the tools the Regional Coalition addressed and are now race-neutral, include spirometry (a lung function test), the vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) calculator, and race-based gestational anemia guidelines.
"Reducing disparity and inequity in health care is key to helping humans flourish as a people, which is the heart of our mission to care, comfort and heal," said Joshua M. Jenkins, Redeemer Health's Vice President of Mission Integration and Pastoral Care. "We are proud that our health care ministry contributes to this important work."
Click here to learn more about the Regional Coalition’s work.
