Rochester RHIO Declares that Racism is a Public Health Crisis

The health data for which Rochester RHIO acts as a trusted steward—spanning 14 counties and 1.5 million people—measures access, clinical outcomes, costs, and other crucial components of care. Race and ethnicity are part of this data set, influencing planning, aiding decisions, and changing lives.
 
Data quality and completeness allows accurate assessments of the health and well-being of residents—and identifying inequities. Yet as robust as these systems are, there is room for improvement.

RHIO is committed to improving how race and ethnicity data are recorded, collaborating with other regional healthcare agencies and experts to evaluate and reform policies and processes that deliver the most precise information possible.
 
This year, RHIO signed the statement from the Black Agenda of Greater Rochester, publicly declaring that racism is a public health crisis. Rochester RHIO will never stop working to ensure that the health information on which so many rely is free from racial bias, as well as our community at large. We look forward to sharing our progress against these actions in the months and years to come.