Episode 04: Advancing Health Equity with Dr. Aletha Maybank, Chief Health Equity Officer, American Medical Association

On this episode of Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast, Race Forward President Glenn Harris speaks with Dr. Aletha Maybank, Chief Health Equity Officer and Senior Vice President at the American Medical Association (AMA), to explore the transformative work underway to advance health equity in the United States. The discussion underscores the AMA's pivotal role as the trailblazer sponsor of the Facing Race 2024 conference in St. Louis, Missouri. The upcoming conference will spotlight the AMA's efforts by hosting a session in the National Health Equity Grand Rounds, designed to foster a deeper national dialogue on health disparities and equity-driven healthcare solutions.

Dr. Maybank recounts her journey since assuming her role in 2019, focusing on the comprehensive strategies she has implemented to embed health equity into every facet of the American Medical Association’s policies and daily operations. Her leadership reflects a mission to reshape organizational culture, shifting the American Medical Association’s focus toward health equity as a core priority and collective responsibility. This effort, intensified by the dual crises of the COVID-19 pandemic and the public outrage following George Floyd’s murder, addresses the need for structural and systemic reforms in healthcare to combat longstanding inequities.

A key initiative discussed is the Rise to Health Coalition—a wide-reaching collaborative effort uniting healthcare systems, professional societies, and advocacy groups with the goal of dismantling entrenched inequities within the medical field. Dr. Maybank provides detailed insights into the coalition’s initial accomplishments, such as identifying and eliminating discriminatory algorithms in healthcare that have historically resulted in biased patient care and outcomes. She outlines ongoing reforms that aim to address inequitable healthcare structures and reshape how care is delivered across the nation.

The conversation also critiques dominant societal narratives that frame health as primarily a matter of individual responsibility. Dr. Maybank challenges these narratives, emphasizing the need to recognize and address social determinants of health, such as poverty, housing, and systemic discrimination, which disproportionately impact marginalized populations. This paradigm shift is crucial to developing equitable healthcare systems that prioritize collective well-being and access.

Dr. Maybank also shares the challenges and resistance she faces in her leadership role, including navigating personal threats and opposition to her equity-driven agenda. She reflects on the need for resilience, solidarity, and finding moments of joy in the struggle for systemic change. Her reflections on leadership, partnership, and the American Medical Association’s ongoing National Health Equity Grand Rounds reveal how cross-sector collaboration and community-building are essential in driving sustainable change in healthcare.

Resources:

Dr. Aletha Maybank (American Medical Association)

https://bit.ly/4etnuGZ

National Health Equity Grand Rounds (Registration Link)

https://www.healthequitygrandrounds.org/

“Q&A: AMA’s chief health equity officer on ridding medicine of racial essentialism” (via Stat News)

https://bit.ly/3YHzKxO

“From process to outcome: working toward health equity” (via Nature Journal)

https://bit.ly/3US8vPP