Understanding the Who, What, and Why of Hospital Equity Officers: A National Survey and In-Depth Interviews

Data about this new chief equity officer (CEqO) role, their scope of work, and how they prioritize health equity initiatives is scarce. This project aims to understand how this role can address equity and inclusion and equitable outcomes to tackle health inequities. This sequential explanatory mixed-methods study will: 1) describe the range of roles and scope of work among CEqOs in health care systems; 2) understand facilitators and strategies to overcome barriers among CEqOs engaging in meaningful health equity work; and 3) identify best practices and recommendations for CEqOs in health care systems. The project will follow the American Hospital Association’s (AHA) “Societal Factors that Influence Health” framework which guides hospitals to address multilevel factors that impact health, such as patients’ social needs, their communities’ conditions and systemic factors that drive these conditions such as racism, sexism, and poverty. The first phase of the study will consist of a national survey (administered by AHA) of hospital/health care system CEqOs to describe their role, responsibilities, and strategies. In the second phase, they will conduct semistructured interviews with CEqOs from health care systems reporting high levels of engagement in health equity initiatives to understand systemic, community, and individual-level factors that influence the priorities and initiatives undertaken by the CEqOs. Results from this study will help identify practical resources and opportunities for improvement among CEqOs in health care systems engaging in initiatives that improve health care access and quality for their communities.