Q&A with Jennifer Mensik Kennedy

Q: The pandemic has brought telehealth to much greater prominence. Is the rise of this technology a positive development, or will it create new challenges for health equity? What can nurses and policymakers do to steer telehealth development in the right direction?

Telehealth is an extremely important care modality. With shortages of nurses and providers being worse in rural areas, telehealth enables nurses to connect with patients who may not otherwise be able to obtain care. In many settings, rural or urban, telehealth can provide care that is equitable.

However, policymakers need to focus on continuing and improving telehealth reimbursement as well as removing barriers to access. The last few years should make everyone recognize that the Internet should be considered a utility, like water and electricity, and a vital part of any household.

Q: What do you see as the biggest issues in healthcare equity today? What should nurses be doing to become part of the solution, particularly with regard to racial disparities in patient care?

Nurses — as individuals, as groups and as a profession — need to work together to stop structural and institutional racism. It will take each nurse educating themselves and understanding their own implicit biases. It’s not enough to say, “I am not racist.”

We must also act and operationalize this, calling it out when we see it and standing up for others. This will require our looking at each policy, procedure and job description, and, if need be, rewriting each one to make sure everyone gets equal access to the care they need.

AARON SEVERSON is the associate editor of Working Nurse.

In this Article: ANA, Racism, Stress and Burnout, technology