New Orleans - Today, Xavier University of Louisiana received a $500,000 check toward a larger program centered on eliminating health disparities to create a more inclusive, representative healthcare system by Louisiana Healthcare Connections as part of ongoing efforts to create health equity.

“As a university that seeks a more just and humane society, Xavier understands the importance of addressing health equity issues on a systemic level,” says Dr. Reynold Verret, president of Xavier University. “Our collaboration with Louisiana Healthcare Connections has the potential to profoundly improve the health of our communities.

To impact equity in health outcomes, Xavier University will leverage Louisiana Healthcare Connections’ health data for academic research and pilot projects focused on health disparities such as maternal health, hypertension, and diabetes.

“Our mission at Louisiana Healthcare Connections is to transform Louisiana’s health and create health equity for our Medicaid population,” says Jamie Schlottman, chief executive officer. ”Sharing data to identify disparities, collaborating in our communities to address disparities, and investing in economic opportunities within the healthcare field will result in real-world improvements in health equity. Xavier University of Louisiana is a national leader in health sciences, specifically geared to educating future black doctors, pharmacists, and Ph.D. holders in STEM areas, so it was a natural partner for this initiative.”

Louisiana Healthcare Connections is partnering with higher education outlets across the state to fund a $1.5 million program to eliminate health disparities and create a more inclusive, representative healthcare system. The Equity in Health and Care initiative will implement coordinated strategies in partnership with Xavier University, Bossier Parish Community College, and Delgado Community College. The initiative will focus on four major areas: equity in health outcomes, diversity and inclusion in the healthcare workforce, economic social determinants of health, and community health.

In addition to research projects at Xavier University of Louisiana, scholarships will be endowed, and educational pipelines to higher education focusing on diversity in the data science and health informatics fields of STEM will be developed.