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Table III.1. Five Most Important Reasons Cited by Firms for Participating in the Collaborative

Evaluation of a Learning Collaborative's Process and Effectiveness to Reduce Health Care Disparities Among Minority Populations

1. Disparities are an Important National Issue and Business Need.

  • With the country growing more diverse, disparities cannot be ignored, and firms need to be seen as addressing the needs of diverse populations.
  • Working on disparities is the "right thing to do" and addresses community commitments.

2. Enhanced Effectiveness by Collaboration.

  • Efficient way to share expertise with others.
  • Gain multi-stakeholder support for standardized national data reporting requirements related to race/ethnicity.
  • Working together provides "cover" for firms from perceived risks in collecting racial/ethnic data.

3. Knowledge Development to Support Action.

  • Opportunity to learn from one another .
  • Opportunity to assess firm's efforts against others and align to emerging national practice.
  • Want to understand size and drivers of disparities.
  • Want to learn what works to reduce disparities.
  • Want to understand how to collect data on racial/ethnic disparities.

4. Participation Used to Gain Leverage for Making Disparities Important Internally.

  • Hope to use the Collaborative to enhance high-level firm commitment to action and to prioritize reducing disparities within the firm.
  • Internal staff champion was interested and pushed participation.

5. More "Mundane" Considerations.

  • AHRQ's request would be hard to decline.
  • Participation could enhance commitment to obligations associated with nonprofit status.
  • Enhance reputation and further national aspirations through being part of a collaborative with national firms.

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Page last reviewed December 2007
Internet Citation: Table III.1. Five Most Important Reasons Cited by Firms for Participating in the Collaborative: Evaluation of a Learning Collaborative's Process and Effectiveness to Reduce Health Care Disparities Among Minority Populations. December 2007. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://archive.ahrq.gov/research/findings/final-reports/learning/tab3-1.html