Advancing Health Equity in the NICU and Beyond

In past episodes of Charting Pediatrics, we have discussed the health equity challenges that organizations and healthcare systems face and the importance of a diverse workforce. Differences such as race, gender and socioeconomic status are all associated with the disparities we see in healthcare systems each day. A vital step to help providers close this gap starts with professional education.

Listen to pediatric experts discuss health equity

In this episode, Paula Dias Maia, MD, and Nicolle Dyess, MD, join us for a deep dive into how health systems can help protect and advocate for patients in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) –– some of the most vulnerable of patients.

Dr. Dias Maia is a neonatal-perinatal fellow and was previously one of the leaders of the diversity in pediatrics committee.

Dr. Nicolle Dyess works in the Division of Neonatal-Perinatal medicine and is an assistant professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

In this episode, our experts discuss:

• An overview of a Level IV NICU
• Inequities in access to critical neonatal care
• The importance of a diverse and inclusive workforce
• The Diversity in Pediatrics Committee at the University of Colorado
• How differences in race, gender and socioeconomic status impact therapies and outcomes

The NICU at Children’s Hospital Colorado

We care for any condition that affects newborns in the NICU at Children's Colorado, regardless of how rare or critical. We also have one of the highest NICU patient volumes in the nation, providing us a deeper level of experience and expertise for a vast array of rare and complex conditions. Despite this increased volume and complexity, our outcomes remain above the national average.