Health systems remove race from clinical algorithms

Twelve Philadelphia-area health systems will no longer use race adjustments in four clinical algorithms used to guide care. Health leaders expect the move will improve treatment and prevent diagnosis delays in Black, Latino and Asian patients. Critics contend race-based algorithms depict race as biological and can make already marginalized patients seem healthier than they are. Seun Ross, DNP, RN, executive director of health equity at Independence Blue Cross, initiated efforts at her system to remove race from the algorithms in 2023 and invited other area health systems to join her. Since the systems began using a race-free equation to calculate kidney disease severity, 721 patients moved onto or up the kidney transplant list, with 63 of those patients receiving new kidneys in 2023. (STAT article, 10/21/24)