National Quality Forum Statement on Prejudice and Violence Towards the AAPI Community 

Washington, DC – National Quality Forum (NQF) stands in solidarity with the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community to strongly condemn last week’s murder of eight people, including six Asian women, in Georgia, the latest in a series of violent and despicable attacks suffered by this community. We recognize this murderous rampage is the deadliest milestone in a year of heightened prejudice and violence towards Asian American and Pacific Islanders, largely due to the xenophobic rhetoric surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. We have seen the dangerous implications of this rhetoric and regrettably, the AAPI community is only the latest to receive nationwide attention for its suffering in an ongoing cycle of prejudice, violence, and discrimination. We condemn these hateful acts and the burdens they place on minority communities who have been historically marginalized across our nation.

The events of the past year continue to illuminate the deep inequities that exist at the core of our society. These inequities are grounded in deeply ingrained systemic racist and discriminatory behaviors that have ramifications far beyond the boundaries of the healthcare delivery system. Research shows that social and environmental factors—often referred to as social determinants of health (SDOH)—drive as much as 60 percent of health outcomes. Several national organizations have named violence, racism, stigma, discrimination, and prejudice as public health issues. These burdens exact a mental health toll and increase susceptibility to illness by impairing the immune system. And they are compounded by the access challenges experienced in minority communities. Systematically addressing the wide spectrum of disparities is essential to achieve better health outcomes across the country.

Last summer, we committed to more effectively advocate for equity and fairness in America, not only in our work to promote safe, effective, and equitable care, but also as an employer, business, and corporate citizen. Since then, we have donated to community-based organizations fighting racial inequity. We have also released a new five-year Strategic Plan (PDF) with a focus on health equity and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Through our work on this plan, NQF will use its unique convening power to collaboratively develop and promote policies and implementation practices advancing the use of data, measurement, and payment models to achieve health equity. NQF will assist healthcare organizations striving to promote health equity in everything they do, including addressing systemic issues such as implicit bias that lead to disparities in health and outcomes. NQF will also recommend approaches to assist healthcare organizations in measuring their progress around DEI and incorporate DEI throughout our own internal and external programs.

Now more than ever, NQF can, through its mission to drive measurable health improvements, lead the way with our Members and partners in normalizing equitable care that is safe, high quality, and high value for every person. 

About National Quality Forum 
The National Quality Forum (NQF) works with members of the healthcare community to drive measurable health improvements together. NQF is a not-for-profit, membership-based organization that gives all healthcare stakeholders a voice in advancing quality measures and improvement strategies that lead to better outcomes and greater value. Learn more at www.qualityforum.org.