It is well-documented that social, cultural and economic factors can cause substantial inequalities in health and health care. KU Medical Center is committed to advancing the understanding of the root causes of health disparities and to researching and implementing innovative solutions to eliminate those health inequities in the communities in our region.

In this special issue of Kansas Medicine + Science, we take a look at a few of the myriad of ways that our researchers and clinicians are working to alleviate disparities that are preventing certain populations from getting access to high-quality health care. Whether it’s studying ways to get more people of color enrolled in cancer clinical trials or establishing a center to deal with the barriers rural Kansans experience when navigating the health care system, KU Medical Center is at the forefront of the movement to understand the inequities that are impacting the health and well-being of so many of our citizens.  

As always, please let us know what you think of this issue of Kansas Medicine + Science. You can email us at kmands@kumc.edu. We look forward to hearing from you.

Robert D. Simari, M.D.
Executive Vice Chancellor
University of Kansas Medical Center