Health Equity Impact Assessment (HEIA): User-Friendly Tool for the Integration of Equity Considerations into Program Delivery and Policy

Transcription

1 Health Equity Impact Assessment (HEIA): User-Friendly Tool for the Integration of Equity Considerations into Program Delivery and Policy Rapid Rounds Presentation for Cancer Quality Council of Ontario Tenth Annual Signature Event November 20, 2013 Sheree Davis, Director, Community and Population Health Branch Health System Strategy and Policy Division, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care

2 What is health equity impact assessment (HEIA)? HEIA identifies unintended potential equity impacts (positive or negative) of a policy, program, or initiative on vulnerable or marginalized groups within the general population. HEIA provides a systematic method to embed equity in planning and decision making HEIA is a proven method to assess initiatives and investments to ensure that potential unintended health impacts on populations are considered/addressed to reduce health disparities across vulnerable/marginalized population groups HEIA tool development was a collaborative and evidence-based process The tool was piloted from 2008 to 2010 at the Ministry and in partnership with select Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) and health service providers, launched publicly March 2011 on the Ministry s website, with the updated HEIA 2.0 launched in 2012 in collaboration with Public Health Ontario 2

3 What does the HEIA tool look like? The HEIA tool includes a template and a workbook, which provides step-by-step instructions on how to complete the HEIA template. All resources are available in French. Template & Workbook core components of HEIA Additional resources that complement the tool include the French Language Services Supplement, the Public Health Supplement, the free self-paced online learning module and the HEIA website 3

4 Who and what is different about MOHLTC s HEIA tool? What: The simplicity of the template is less intimidating for users without a background in impact assessment methodology a key basis and feature of the HEIA tool. One template speaking a common language for all users, no matter their sector, contributes to knowledge exchange and quality improvement across sectors, and has broader applicability to improve health beyond health care by focusing on the determinants of health Who: Ontario s Health Equity Impact Assessment is number one in a Google search! As the HEIA tool is publicly available and not mandatory at this point in time we do not track each usage Broad uptake across the health sector including Public Health Units, Local Health Integration Networks, Health Service Providers, Researchers, French Language Health Planning Entities and Hospitals 4

5 What lessons have we learned about HEIA so far? Simplicity Strengths One tool, one process, all sectors No need for multiple lenses Promotes cross-sectoral working relationships Raises awareness of health equity Starts the conversation Pilot & preliminary evaluations to date demonstrate its utility & effectiveness Creates a corporate memory for rationale behind decision-making Interest and uptake from a range of champions and partners Evidence Challenges Systemic lack of evidence, data or access to evidence for decisionmaking regarding vulnerable/ marginalised groups We are working with partners to increase evidence availability (i.e. HEIA Community of Interest) Voluntary uptake HEIA tool is publicly available and not mandatory at this point in time Challenging the status quo Takes time to establish a new practice 5

6 How can HEIA be of use to your organization? HEIA can support consistent and transparent equity consideration by providing one common tool (language) for all users across the cancer system The tool can support knowledge exchange and quality improvement within and among various service providers providing cancer related programs Completing the HEIA tool encourages the user to consider partnerships and mitigation strategies potentially reaching beyond the usual silos to work across sectors and organisations HEIA aims to ensure equitable access to wellbeing services based on need, equitable distribution of health care resources, and bringing to the forefront the needs of the most health-disadvantaged groups As one would adapt a treatment plan proposed for a patient HEIA assists with adapting program planning to the needs of vulnerable populations 6

7 Please connect your colleagues with HEIA For further questions or comments, contact the HEIA project: English Site: French Site: Vasanthi Srinivasan Assistant Deputy Minister, Health System Strategy and Policy Division, Sheree Davis Director, Community and Population Health Branch, Brad McDonald Manager, Population Health Unit, Community and Population Health Branch, Jennifer Lee Senior Policy Advisor, HEIA Project Co-Lead, Community and Population Health Branch, April MacInnes Senior Policy Advisor, HEIA Project Co-Lead, Community and Population Health Branch, 7