A message to all physicians from AMA President Jeremy A. Lazarus, MD, on the Associations efforts to address unequal care, from access to outcomes.

That cardiovascular disease is the major cause of death in the U.S. is well-known. That minority populations are more at risk than English-speaking white populations at least in part because of disparities in health care is shameful.

We know there are disparities in care not only in cardiovascular disease, but also in asthma, diabetes, flu, infant mortality, cancer, HIV/AIDS, chronic lower respiratory diseases, viral hepatitis, chronic liver diseases and cirrhosis, kidney disease, injury deaths, violence, behavioral health and oral health.

According to the latest National Healthcare Disparities Report, both health care quality and access in the U.S. are suboptimal, especially for racial and ethnic minorities and low-income groups. The report further notes that access to care is not improving for minority groups and that disparities are not diminishing. In fact, there are several areas where disparities are worsening over time between minorities and whites and between poor and high-income populations.

The Affordable Care Act has taken several major steps toward rectifying this disgraceful situation. It expands initiatives to increase diversity in the health care professions and strengthens cultural competency training. It makes improvements in preventive care and care coordination, and increases funding for community health centers. It ends insurance discrimination, and when health insurance exchanges are in place next year, everyone will have access to quality, affordable health insurance. In all, there are more than 60 provisions that could contribute toward ending disparities.

Outside Washington, a number of groups also are involved in trying to bring quality health care to underserved populations.

One of those groups is the Commission to End Health Care Disparities. I am looking forward to welcoming the commission to my hometown of Denver on March 22 and 23. This very significant meeting will focus on disparities in cardiovascular disease care, but it is a part of a much larger effort.

I am proud to be a member of the commissions governing secretariat, but I am also pleased to know that other forces within the AMA are also intent on ending disparities, beginning with the AMA Principles of Medical Ethics.

A year ago, the AMA adopted a three-part strategy that includes a commitment to improving health outcomes and with it, an equal commitment to ending disparities in care.

The AMAs current work toward ending disparities dates to 2000, when the Dept. of Health and Human Services launched a national effort called Healthy People 2010.

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It’s well past time to eliminate health care disparities