Training Equips Providers to Address Social Determinants of Health Through Implicit Bias Curriculum
CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst), one of the country’s largest not-for-profit healthcare organizations, is pleased to announce that one of its health equity-focused provider training courses has been approved by the State of Maryland for provider licensing requirements. CareFirst is among the few healthcare organizations to hold this recognition.
As part of CareFirst’s health equity strategy to reduce barriers to good health both in and out of clinical settings, they created the “Understanding Implicit Bias” training course for providers. The course is offered free of charge to any clinicians contracted in all CareFirst networks and was recently recognized and approved by the Maryland Department of Health Office of Minority Health & Health Disparities for 2024.
The course was created with the intent to further support the provider community, allowing them to use CareFirst training to apply for and renew their licensure in the state of Maryland. Before receiving state approval in 2024, the training was completed 3,858 times in 2023 by about 2,200 primary care providers and over 1,000 other healthcare and office staff members.
“Identifying biases and health disparities helps us reduce detrimental barriers to good health and providers are eager to do their part to improve patient experiences,” said Zachary Rabovsky, Director of Population Health Strategy at CareFirst. “This training re-enforces our commitment to transform the healthcare experience by equipping providers with the foundational resources and skills they need to better serve our communities.”
There are numerous health disparities in outcomes that exist in communities throughout Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia, preventing people from receiving the high-quality healthcare they need due to unconscious and conscious biases. Communities in the region are significantly impacted by social determinants of health (SDOH), the environmental and social conditions such as access to transportation or healthy foods that account for 80% of an individual’s health outcomes.
CareFirst believes that clinical settings and providers should be aware of potential bias, to reduce barriers and focus on treatment. Developed to improve clinical settings and meet the standards of Senate Bill 5/House Bill 28: Public Health-Implicit Bias Training and the Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities, the course is designed to help providers build better relationships with patients and administer appropriate care.
“As a leading healthcare organization, CareFirst is addressing unmet social needs that have an influence on community health and bridging gaps in healthcare access and experience,” said Jay Simmons, Vice President of Networks Management at CareFirst. “The ‘Understanding Implicit Bias’ programming allows us to empower providers to be aware of potential bias and ultimately maintain focus on treatment and reducing barriers to care.”
CareFirst is dedicated to advancing health equity, using it as the foundation for their mission to provide accessible, equitable and affordable healthcare for all. While the course is offered to Maryland providers to complete or renew their licensure, any provider or interested persons may take the course for free. In addition to the training course, CareFirst has several new long-term initiatives focusing on advancing health equity for our communities, including expanding our reach with Social Scape, enhancing the depth of our SDOH toolbox, and incorporating social risk scoring into care management and population health reporting.
To learn more about the state-approved trainings, visit: https://health.maryland.gov/
About CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
In its 86th year of service, CareFirst, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is a not-for-profit healthcare company which, through its affiliates and subsidiaries, offers a comprehensive portfolio of health insurance products and administrative services to 3.5 million individuals and employers in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia. In 2022, CareFirst invested $24.1 million to improve overall health, and increase the accessibility, affordability, safety and quality of healthcare throughout its market areas. To learn more about CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, visit www.carefirst.com.
